


Merry Me

by 221B Bitch (UndeservingHero)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, Secret Santa, verymerrykylux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 23:22:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9041012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndeservingHero/pseuds/221B%20Bitch
Summary: When Kylo Ren hits a wall with his mother, he devises a way to stay in school.
Hux, to his dismay, is caught in the middle.





	1. Questions Over Coffee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [katherine1753](https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherine1753/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide and Merry Christmas! 
> 
> This is my gift for Katherine1753 in part of the VeryMerrKylux's Secret Santa exchange. 
> 
> My prompt was: 1. affectionate fluff, like kisses and nuzzles and things 2. fake relationship to real relationship AUs. [I combined the two, dear. They seemed to blend well together.]
> 
> I hope you enjoy. To everyone else, happy holidays and may the new year bring you good tidings and peace.

A soft chime came from Hux’s pocket as he sat staring at yet another draft from Phasma, prompting him to pull his phone out. His brow furrowed as he read the message from Kylo.

_ Kylo: Coffee. 4pm. Coffee shop on the corner of New Brick and Boudreaux. _

He scrolled back up to the last conversation they had to see if he’d missed something. He hadn’t. The last thing they had talked about had been something to do with the project for engineering.

_ Hux: Why? _

_ Kylo: Need to talk. _

Hux blinked. Since when did Kylo ask to talk  _ in person _ . They were both more than willing to take advantage of what modern technology had given them.

He mulled it over and figured he could get Kylo to look at the latest drawings.

_ Hux: Fine. You know what I drink. No foam this time. _

_ Kylo: Yeah. See you. _

Hux rubbed at his eyes and looked at the time. He just barely had time to get to the print shop before time to meet Kylo. He supposed he could be a bit late if necessary. Kylo had barely notified him before time came to leave.

He hurried anyway; shuffling out of his apartment and collecting their blueprints. It was convenient that Kylo chose today to meet. It would give them a chance to edit them again if necessary before tomorrow’s deadline.

The coffeeshop was loaded with people even though the time was awkwardly between lunch and dinner. It always was, though. Something about local stores fighting back against Starbucks.

Why Kylo insisted on this little hole-in-the-wall, he would never know. But they did serve good coffee that was less expensive than Starbucks.

He pushed through the line of hipsters and businessmen to get to the seating on the other side.

Kylo looked up at him when he approached the table from underneath the brim of some hat he had most likely found in a thrift shop. It was ridiculous and managed to look nice just to spite Hux. “Hey.”

“Kylo,” he greeted, laying the mailing tube on the table next to the china cups holding their coffee. “You wanted to see me on an urgent basis, it seems. What did you want?” he asked as he sat across from him, knees of their long legs bumping together.

Kylo wrapped both hands around his coffee mug, dwarfing the china. “I’ve been reading up on some things since mom cut my funding, and I think I found a solution.”

Hux sipped at his Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato carefully as he remembered the tantrum that had come from Kylo’s mother calling him in the middle of one of their drafting sessions. Kylo had been rightfully upset when she had told him she was cutting him off on everything.

Even his tuition.

Hux studied him over the rim of his cup, finally asking, “What, exactly, does this have to do with me?”

The subtle calculating expression that Kylo was capable of flickered over his face before it was gone. “Marry me?” he asked, big brown eyes sincere.

Hux’s mouth dropped open slightly, and he just stared. “ _ What? _ ” he hissed as he set his cup down a smidge too hard and it clacked on the table.

“Marry me,” Kylo repeated, tipping his hat further back on his head; apparently so Hux could see how serious he was being. The tension on his face was drawing the skin tight around the gnarled scar that bisected his cheek. 

“You want me to marry you?” he asked, completely dumbfounded when Kylo nodded.

He grew guarded as he thought about the angles. “Why? So I will feel obligated to pay your tuition?”

Kylo shook his head, looking mildly offended. “God, no. You get more financial aid if you’re married.”

Hux sat back in his chair and looked for a long time at Kylo who just looked steadily back. “And I’m your first option for this ludicrous idea?”

Kylo sighed. “No, but you’re my only single friend here,” he admitted.

He contemplated the thought for a long time, sipping on the coffee he had been ignoring. “If I’m a friend, I would hate to see how you treat your enemies,” he said finally.

Kylo cracked that lopsided smile of his. “Not like you don’t return the favor.” He fiddled with the cord bracelet around his wrist as he sobered. “In all seriousness, we can always get a divorce or whatever if it’s completely unbearable. I’m not that worried about the legal part. I have no assets that I’m worried about. I assume you don’t other than your apartment.”

Hux nodded slowly and sat for a long time, thinking it over. His forefinger traced around the rim of the coffee mug as it went cold. Finally, he looked back up at Kylo. “Let’s say that I say ‘yes’. What other trappings to a marriage would you want?”

He’d never given a thought to Kylo as more than a work associate. Other than a very brief sexual fantasy when they had first met that had ended spectacularly when Kylo had said something completely stupid. He let himself think about it again and found that he didn’t think of the idea as completely repulsive. Kylo was, after all, smarter than he had first appeared and was built like a refrigerator.

Though, he had no idea if Kylo actually swung his way or not. Which was tragic. He would have to ask. He supposed that he would have the right since they were to be married, anyway—if he did agree.

“We could live together,” he suggested. “Split the rent.”

Hux considered. “My apartment is rent controlled,” he threw out.

“Cool. Mine isn’t.” Kylo shrugged. “I’m not too attached.”

“I don’t cook,” Hux said, almost as if he were challenging Kylo.

“I do.” He just shrugged.

Hux felt a well of something like panic rise like acid in his middle for no good reason at all. “I hate mornings.”

“So do I.”

How could he be so calm about all of this? Maybe he was as insane as he appeared. “I have a cat,” he said, desperate for something to throw him off.

“I’m not allergic, and it’s your apartment.”

After nearly twenty minutes of firing terms and conditions at one another, Hux stopped and sighed. They hadn’t found any insurmountable problems. He couldn’t see himself finding a new relationship in the next two years. He was too focused on his degree. Maybe that was what was causing the bit of unease in his stomach.

“Fine. Yes, Kylo. I’ll marry you.”

He could honestly say that was something he never thought would come out of his mouth with any sincerity.

Kylo gave him another smile—the lop-sided one that made him seem like he was ten years younger than he really was. “Good. When do you want to do it?”

Hux didn’t answer right away, pulling his date book out of his bag. It was an old leather thing that had obviously seen better days, but he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of it. He flipped to the date and went over the next month to find an appropriate spot. He assumed they would need at least a few hours. “The fifth? At 1:30?”

Kylo pulled up the calendar on his phone. “That’s the day after technicals are over, right?”

Hux nodded. “That way neither of us will have to worry about being there on time.”

Kylo started typing on his phone. “We need to get the marriage license, but that’s it for us. No wedding stuff to plan.”

The thought left something oddly empty in Hux’s chest, but he ignored it in favor of logistics. “We’ll have to go back to City Hall to actually get married after we get the license. I think there is a waiting period?”

Kylo flipped Google open and gave it a quick search. “Twenty-four hours in the state of New York.” He looked back up. “That’s okay. We can go to the office before technicals start and get it, then wait til after to get married.”

Hux swallowed, but nodded. “That’s fine. When would you like to go?”

Kylo scrolled through what Hux assumed was his calendar. “Next Tuesday?”

Hux looked at the date. “Early morning? Say nine?”

“Great. I can meet you after I have breakfast with Uncle Luke and Rey.” He put his cheek in one hand and looked across their forgotten coffee at him. His eyes were calm as he watched him. “When did you want me to move in?”

Hux felt a flutter near his bellybutton about living with someone. Sensibility won out. “Might as well do it the same day as the ceremony. We’ll be free for a few days after that. And we need two witnesses anyway, I think.”

“Anyone in particular you want there?” Kylo asked.

“Phasma comes to mind,” he said as he made a note after their ceremony. “Maybe her girlfriend?”

Kylo nodded. “I don’t really have anyone I want there, so yours will do.”

Hux’s brows came together. “Why not?”

He shrugged and scratched at that jagged scar across his face that bisected already asymmetrical features. “Not exactly on the best of terms with my family, and all my friends are still in Fresno.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it sometime,” Hux mentioned, avoiding eye contact as he reached for a few dollar bills to drop onto the table.

“So Phasma, huh?” Kylo asked, deflecting the suggestion. “You mean after she tries to strangle me, right?” He looked bored by the notion, as if they hadn’t just got engaged.

Hux just wondered how he could be so unaffected. “She  _ is _ one of the few people who could probably manage it.” Hux touched the tube on the table next to their discarded mugs. “I picked up our blueprints on the way here. Do you have time to look them over before we turn them in tomorrow?”

Kylo shrugged. “Want to get out of here? It’s a little cramped for all of our papers.”

Hux nodded. “I guess so. I need to grab real food, though. I missed breakfast.”

“That’s fine. I should eat too.” He put his hat back down over his ridiculously soft-looking curls. “Ready whenever you are.”

Hux collected his bag and coat. Kylo snagged the tube, and he looked up at him. “My place?” he asked as he headed out to hail a cab.

“Whichever.”

Kylo being agreeable about everything was growing unsettling. After dealing with someone who seemed to enjoy being contrary for the sake of it over the last few months, it was jarring.

Grabbing a cab, they sat together in an oddly companionable quiet as their driver wove in and out of other cars. The ambient noise of New York traffic settled his nerves a little.

A thought disturbed what little equilibrium he managed to recover, however. “How are your parents going to react?” he asked as he turned to look at him.

Kylo went very still as he kept looking about the window. “Dad never cared much, I guess. Mom will probably do everything in her power to prove that you don’t actually love me. Which is a moot point, I guess. So this is me warning you about my mother thinking no one will ever be good enough for me. What about you?” Brown eyes swung to meet his own.

He shrugged. “My father will probably have an aneurysm.”

“You don’t sound too torn up over the idea,” Kylo prodded gently.

Hux was the one to turn and look out the window then. “Not really, no.”

Warm fingers clasped his own where they were resting on his thigh briefly, giving them a squeeze. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I know all about shit dads.”

Hux glanced over, but Kylo was already retreating back to his side, face cast in fuzzy lines by the glow from the overcast sunlight coming from the heavens.

Instead of saying something that would have been violently rude to protect himself, he took the empathy for what it was and settled against the door until they arrived at the restaurant they had agreed on.


	2. Battle Scars

Hux stood outside the courthouse wishing for a cigarette as he waited for Kylo and Phasma to show up. The wind snatched at his hair and the tails of his coat where they clustered around his knees.

A taxi stopped in front of him, and Kylo rose out of it.

His breath got stuck in his throat as he got a glimpse of just how good Kylo looked in the all black he was wearing under his grey peacoat. It was startling since he’d only ever seen him in jeans and whatever ridiculous shirt he’d managed to fish out of some second-hand store.

Good lord… His  _ fiancé _ cleaned up well.

The word still felt strange attached to Kylo. What was weirder still was that they would be  _ husbands _ before the sun went down.

He got himself back in control before Kylo stood in front of him. His brows were down over those brown eyes of his, gone black with some emotion or other. “Why are you out here? It’s got to be warmer inside. Come on,” he said as he took Hux’s hand and pulled him up the steps.

Hux felt the tips of his ears go a spectacular shade of red as he let himself be led into the building. When Kylo let him go, he stuck his hands in his pockets. “You look nice,” he commented.

Kylo gave him a brilliant smile that stunned him. It wasn’t sly or backhanded. It was an actual happy expression. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s my wedding day.”

Hux felt his own smile tug at the corners of his mouth. “Yes, that’s true.” Anxiety about the whole thing cropped up again, but he quashed it.

Kylo tugged at the front of his coat to get a look at his clothes underneath. “I don’t feel so bad now.”

Hux blushed for real this time across the bridge of his nose. He’d worn his favourite grey suit under his wool coat. “It’s my wedding day,” he parroted back at Kylo, making him laugh.

His smile broadened slightly until he heard a familiar disgusted noise behind him. He turned to see Phasma and Unamo approaching from the doors.

Phasma was tall and gorgeous in her platinum blonde Viking goddess way. Unamo was beautiful with her severe, dark features as she glided along beside her.

Hux received a hug from both while Kylo stood close by.

“Could you two  _ be _ any more disgustingly sweet to one another? I think I preferred it when you were at each other’s’ throats,” Phasma said as she eyed Kylo.

Hux rolled his eyes and shifted back to stand beside Kylo. “There’s nothing wrong with being civil to the person I’m about to marry.” The word made his stomach feel wobbly all over again.

Phasma made that noise again. “Can we go now?”

Kylo smiled slightly and took Hux’s hand again just to annoy her. He led them unerringly to the proper place, and they took a number.

Hux shook his head at the notion that they were a number in a system but said nothing as they went to take a seat. He opened his coat and felt Kylo take it from his shoulders. He was surprised as he turned, and it was returned to his care, neatly folded. “Thank you.”

Kylo just gave him that half smile and shrugged out of his own before sitting next to an empty chair.

“You have the license, right?” he asked as he sat beside him.

“No, Hux. I left it outside my window to get some air and the wind got it.” He rolled his eyes and reached into his jacket to retrieve the carefully folded paper.

“I can’t believe you two are actually going through with this,” Unamo said from Phasma’s side.

“People marry every day for far less,” Hux said as he took the license from Kylo. “At least we have a modicum of respect for one another, and we  _ know _ why we want to get married. Few can say the same.”

It was nearly an hour before their number appeared on the board, and Hux’s nerves were frayed even further.

Together, they all entered the chapel they had been directed to and shook hands with the friendly, mustached Official that would be presiding over the ceremony.

He had Hux and Kylo stand together in front of the pulpit. Phasma and Unamo stood behind them to bear witness.

Hux felt anxiety nearly strangle him as he faced Kylo and held hands as the Official said some words Hux didn’t track. He was too busy studying Kylo’s face; the scar that still didn’t have a story, the moles littering his face like constellations, his dark eyes that seemingly changed colour with his mood, and pouty mouth that was too plush for a man. All of it.

And then Kylo was speaking and the words swallowed him up like he’d jumped into a pool that was too deep and he’d forgotten how to swim.

“I, Obi-Wan Solo, take you, Armitage Hux, to be my husband.

“To share the good times and the hard times side-by-side.

“I humbly offer my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace, and pledge my faith and love to you.

“Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal.”

He paused and produced a ring from his pocket and steadied Hux’s shaking hand.

“Just as it is made of incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail.

“With this ring, I thee wed. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” he finished as he put the ring around Hux’s pointer, middle, and finally all the way down onto his ring finger.

Suddenly, this didn’t feel at all like a sham wedding anymore.

The Officiant turned to Hux and seemed to pick up on him being caught up in staring at Kylo. “Armitage, repeat after me…”

Hux was deaf, dumb, and blind to anything other than Kylo and his small smile, but he made it through the vows and took the ring Kylo gave him.

Kylo’s hands were rock steady as he pressed the metal to its home at the base of his ring finger.

They hadn’t discussed it, but when the Officiant pronounced them married by the power of the State of New York, Kylo pulled him forward and slid the hand bearing the new ring to the back of Hux’s neck. Right before he pressed their mouths together, and Hux’s lashes fluttered closed.

Kylo’s mouth was just as soft as it looked as it coaxed Hux’s with careful movements that would have made a lesser person weak in the knees. Lucky for Hux’s self-esteem, the door to the chapel opened and an annoyed exclamation broke them apart.

“Misses Organa?” the Official asked, confusion and disbelief coloring his words.

Hux was still dazed from Kylo’s mouth as he was pulled close against his side. Hux noticed Kylo put himself mostly in front of him as if to protect him from the woman that had just interrupted their wedding.

“Mother.” Kylo’s voice was dagger sharp as he greeted her, and Hux looked over to see the Senator of New York staring at them in obvious ire.

“Your mother…” he said as he shook the cobwebs away. Kylo’s mother was the bloody Senator? Well, at least that explained Kylo’s not wanting family around.

“Obi-Wan, what have you done?” she demanded.

He sighed so deeply Hux felt the expansion of his ribcage where they were pressed together. “We’ve just gotten married. Thank you for coming to offer your congratulations.”

Brown eyes so like Kylo’s turned on Hux as she stared holes into his soul. “Married.”

The word sounded worse than a terminal diagnosis coming from her.

“Yes, married. If you will excuse us a moment, we have something to attend to.”

Kylo turned him so they were facing the Officiant again. “I believe we need our witnesses to sign?”

The Officiant looked horrified at what had just happened but hopped back into action if only to get them out of his chapel.

Phasma and Unamo came forward and did their part before departing to go ‘collect the car and give them a moment’.

Hux was uneasy about the impromptu ‘meet the parent’ that was about to happen, but he knew Kylo wasn’t too pleased either. They shook the Official’s hand before they walked past Senator Organa into the hall.

“Why is it that I had to hear from an  _ office assistant _ that my only son is getting married?” she demanded as Kylo stood with Hux’s hand in his own. He was holding on too tight, but Hux knew all about needing strength to face down angry parents. He squeezed back to let Kylo know he wasn’t going anywhere.

The marriage might be a sham, but the tentative friendship they had was quickly being tested and he wasn’t going to give into the first bout of pressure.

“Mostly because I thought you wanted nothing to do with me, and I’m not going to beg for your affection.”

She stared at him. “I told you the conditions—”

“Love shouldn’t be conditional,” Kylo snapped. “Goodbye.”

He pulled Hux along past her down the hallway, and Hux felt no sympathy for her as he looked back for only a moment. He knew about conditional love intimately. He hated it more than he could possibly ever express.

Once they stepped out into the brisk wind of November, he pulled Kylo around to face him. “Are you alright?”

The skin around the scar was pulled, pale with stress. His expression eased slightly as he looked back at him. “I will be.”

Hux nodded. “I understand. I get it.”

Kylo sighed and rubbed over his face, his ring flashing in the sun. “Let’s get out of here. We can celebrate, and I’ll have an excuse to drown my sorrows in some Chinese food.”

Hux smiled. “Of course.”

Much later, the four of them sat around Hux’s—and now Kylo’s—coffee table; the surface littered with empty food containers and beer bottles. Kylo’s belongings were arranged around them in boxes against the walls.

They were all exhausted and a little drunk. With bellies full and eyelids being weighed down with sand, everything seemed alright in the world.

Kylo was leaning back against the couch in his usual jeans again and a shirt with the arms missing. Millicent was curled up in his lap with him petting behind her ears. He looked the picture of contentment with a beer in his other hand and a small smile on his face as Unamo told a story about something or other Hux had lost track of ten minutes ago.

Phasma had her curled up in her lap under a blanket, and he envied their closeness briefly. Ah well, he had someone to live with now, at least.

Unamo yawned and Phasma looked to Hux. “I’ve had one too many to drive. Mind if we sleep here?”

He shook his head. “Of course not.”

He rose and teetered momentarily with his own bout of lightheadedness before he went to retrieve them some extra blankets for the spare room.

He saw them settled and returned to find Kylo clearing their containers. He collected bottles, and they managed in a pair of trips to the kitchen.

“I think I’m going to sleep, too. Have any more extra blankets? Mine are in a box somewhere.”

Hux gave him a confused look. “Whatever for? You can sleep in the bed.” He smiled slightly. “You’re not in the dog house yet.”

That surprised a laugh out of Kylo. “Right. Okay. Let me see if I can find pajamas.”

“I’ll go dress a pillow for you.” He left Kylo to hunt through his cardboard jungle and retrieved what he needed to crawl directly into bed.

Kylo watched as Hux disappeared through the doorway to what was now  _ their _ room and wondered at it all. This had started as a harebrained idea to get him through school. Now he was in what was his new home with his  _ husband _ and his friends after they had helped him move in with no question. Well, no questions after he’d promised to buy beer and Chinese food.

He sat down on the couch and scanned the labeled boxes from his vantage point to see if he could find one that had ‘sleep clothes’ slapped on the side of it while he thought about it all.

Was it really this easy? Was this what married life was actually like when you didn’t half-hate your spouse? Sure, he didn’t love Hux like he had promised he would. But maybe that would come later. Who knew. For now, he had someone to spend time with and live with. He wasn’t on his own anymore.

The revelation left him stunned, and his eyes strayed to the doorway again.

Not alone.

What a novel idea.

Resolved to do the best he could in this… arrangement? relationship? Marriage. He was married. He was going to act like it. Not that nonsense his parents had put him through.

No, he was going to do the best he possibly could to give Hux everything he had. Even if he didn’t love him? It didn’t matter. He was going to work for it anyway.

Idly, he touched over the scar on his face and wondered if he would ever earn anyone’s love.

He hauled himself out of that well of self-pity and got up to forage for sleep pants. It had been years since the accident. He should have been over that nonsense anyway.

He found pants and went to change in the bathroom before going to find Hux sitting in bed with his laptop over his thighs. Glasses he only wore for reading were perched on his nose, and he looked too damn normal to be from the real world in his flannel matching pajamas.

Kylo felt naked by comparison in his black cotton sleep pants. It left his myriad of scars on display, and he regretted not putting a shirt on when Hux looked up and visibly flinched. “I… Sorry. I’ll got get a shirt. I didn’t think…”

Hux shoved his laptop to the side and sat up on his knees, holding a hand out to stop him. “No. No… It’s… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I just didn’t think there were so many.”

Kylo forgot how to breathe as he searched Hux’s face for the emotion he was used to. All he found was confused concern. And then the words fell from his mouth in the tender wake of his earlier self-loathing. “It was a car accident. My cousin, Rey… I was teaching her how to drive. She was way too young for an actual license, so we were just out in a parking lot in a little town near Fresno when she came to visit.”

Hux just stayed exactly where he was with his hand reaching towards him. As if he was afraid if he moved, Kylo would stop talking. He was probably right.

He swallowed hard. He hadn’t talked about it in years. “A dog ran out in front of us, and she jerked in a panic. We rolled and… I covered her up.” He felt the panic rise in him as if it were happening all over again. “She came out okay. Just some glass in her hands.”

“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have let her do it. She could have died—”

“Kylo, it wasn’t your fault. You were having fun. You… You took the precaution to go where there were no other people. You couldn’t have done anything about the dog.” Hux shifted off the bed and came to stand right in front of him. He took him by the elbows and looked at him with those aqua eyes of his. “You protected her. I think that speaks more about your character than a mistake does.”

Kylo was stuck in the in between. He hadn’t ever had someone tell him that he had done the right thing. He had been blamed since the day it had happened.

Instead of saying anything else to console him, Hux pulled him into a hard hug with his arms around his shoulders. Kylo was helpless to do anything but hold him back with his arms around Hux’s slim waist.

“Come on. Let’s go to bed. It’s been a long day,” Hux said against his bare shoulder.

He nodded and let himself be directed towards the bed where he slid under the covers in an odd sort of trance while he watched Hux put his laptop and glasses away.

When the lights were out, he reached out and found Hux in the darkness. He wrapped his arm around his waist and hauled him over to his side of the bed, getting a surprised noise from him. Hux didn’t fight against him. Though there was an empty quiet as if he were waiting for an explanation.

Instead of giving him the truth, Kylo just murmured, “I’m a cuddler. Get used to it.”

A quiet laugh left Hux, but he didn’t argue. He just settled against him and pillowed his head on Kylo’s arm. “Alright. Sleep well.”

When Kylo was sure that he was asleep, he was startled when there was a quiet, “Thank you for telling me.”

He swallowed and couldn’t answer so he just gently squeezed Hux around the waist.

In the quiet, he felt something ugly unwind from around his heart and took a deep breath now that it wasn’t constricting him. The hatred for himself eased, and he tried to believe Hux as he finally slid into sleep.


	3. Apology Muffins

Sliding out of bed quietly was easy. Hux had scooted back over to his side during the night which gave him the leeway to get up without waking him. He put on the jeans he’d been wearing the night before and found a sweater in one of the boxes by the door.

He took the key Hux had said was his and put it on his keyring, checking to make sure it actually unlocked the door before he left, quietly locking it behind him.

He legged it down to the little grocery that was two blocks over, grabbing things that he would need and a few things besides. The woman behind the counter was giving him some “I dare you to steal in my store” looks as she stared at the scar on his face. He just sighed and took everything to the register to pay.

_ Not your fault _ .

He looked over his shoulder to see if Hux had somehow snuck behind him. No. He wasn’t there. But the sentiment remained, fending off that ugly thing that had settled in his chest what felt like eons ago.

The woman cleared her throat and gave him the total. He swiped his card and punched in the number before thanking her and taking the bags.

The wind was sharp as he left the little shop, and he missed the coat he’d forgotten. At least it wasn’t far to the apartment building.

It was nearly an hour after he’d returned before Phasma wandered out of the spare room in pajamas she had most likely left there before. He held up an empty coffee mug in question and filled it at her nod, passing it over to her without a word.

If he hadn’t been up for an hour and a half, he wouldn’t have been in the mindset to deal with anyone yet either.

She took down some milk and a bit of sugar with her coffee before sitting at the counter and watched him as he pulled a pan out of the oven. “I don’t know what those are, but they smell fantastic.”

He laughed and turned so she could see the muffins that were just golden on top. “I hope you like blueberries.”

She grinned at him. “If Hux hadn’t married you, I might. Damn.”

His smile stayed where it was, and he set them on the counter before pulling them out onto a plate to cool.

“You do realize that would require me letting you, right?” Unamo asked as she walked out and slid her arms around Phasma’s shoulders.

Phasma just turned her head and kissed her. “Yeah. Well… The sex is good so I guess I’ll stay.”

Unamo rolled her eyes and looked to Kylo. “Is there more coffee?”

He smiled and held out a mug for her. “Sure.”

She came around and took it, filling it herself. She drank it black. “Hux always did have good taste in men and coffee,” she said as she went to sit beside Phasma.

Kylo slowed as he poured more batter into a tin. Instead of stalling out, he asked casually, “What kind of men is Hux usually into?”

Unamo shrugged and looked him over. “You.”

Kylo nearly dropped the bowl he was holding while Phasma elbowed her in the ribs.

“You didn’t know, did you?” she asked, ignoring Phasma. “He likes tall and broad. It’s hard for him to find men taller than himself. Worked out pretty well, actually.”

“Huh…” he said as he looked to the bedroom door that was still closed.

“Now, about that second batch you’ve got going on there…” Phasma prompted.

He looked back over and snorted. “Right. These are chocolate chip, and I’ll fight you over them.”

Phasma smiled. “It’s not me you have to worry about if there’s chocolate involved.”

He chuckled and poured more batter into the tins. “Well, I think I might be able to share.”

 

Phasma watched Kylo fucking Ren act like a domesticated golden retriever that knew how to bake as he and Unamo shared some kind of rapport that was civil as all hell.

She didn’t know what the hell had gotten into him. He hadn’t said one snide thing to her or about Hux. No asinine comments. Nothing.

He’d offered her coffee and the time to wake up before conversation was broached. He kept glancing at Hux’s bedroom door where he had obviously slept the night before.

She had no idea what to do with him.

Except eat the cooling blueberry muffin he put down in front of her on a plate.

“Careful. It’s still kind of hot.”

Holy shit, was he actually being a real person instead of the insolent little shit he’d been the last time she’d seen him a month and a half ago?

As if he had read her mind, he said, “I’m sorry about what happened. You caught me on a bad day, and I meant to apologize. I didn’t get the chance until now.”

She just stared at him, but he didn’t meet her eyes. He just turned and retrieved a third cup of coffee, pouring sugar and milk into it and heading off towards Hux’s door.

She was about to warn him that Hux was an utter asshole in the mornings, but she figured they were married now. He’d figure it out sooner or later.

Except there was nothing but a soft murmuring noise and that deep timbre of Kylo’s voice.

She stared at the open door, and Unamo looked over at her with her eyebrows up to her hairline.

“Did that actually just happen and no blood was shed?” she asked.

Phasma got up and padded over to the doorway and saw Kylo sitting on Hux’s side of the bed where he was sitting against the headboard with a cup of coffee up to his mouth.

He saw her and arched a brow but offered no explanation.

_ What the actual hell _ .

She gave him a wave before returning to Unamo and put her face against Unamo’s shoulder. She was kind of afraid the world was going to collapse or they’d fallen into some fourth dimension or something.

Unamo took the hint and ran her fingers through the platinum at her nape and kissed her shoulder.

“I’m not sure what’s going on, but I need more coffee and that damn muffin before I try to figure it out,” she mumbled against her shoulder.

Unamo laughed in that stupidly adorable way she did with her nose all crinkled up as she pushed her back into the chair she’d been occupying. She nudged the muffin towards her and got up to get her more coffee.

Man, she was perfect.

Maybe Kylo had the right idea with the marrying thing.

Jesus Christ. Who the fuck was she? She was an eternal bachelor… ette? Thing. Whatever. It had to be some kind of fever or something that could catch.

She needed to talk to Hux. Like a go out and get shitfaced together kind of talk so she could actually get her feelings out. Since they were all kinds of fucked up inside her head.

Maybe something would come of it. Maybe not. She needed a good night out anyway. It would just be a good excuse to get away and  _ talk about her fucking feelings _ .

The very thought made her want to vomit, but then Unamo kissed her and all that business went right out the window.

She was so boned.

And she was going to kill Kylo Ren.

Hux fluctuated between being annoyed at being woken and being blissfully happy about the way Kylo had managed it. A cup of coffee made just the way he took it waiting for him after he’d been woken with his name; not touching or—god forbid—shaking.

He had seen Phasma giving him a look from the doorway but chose to ignore it.

He looked to Kylo when he said, “I’m going to head out around eleven. I have to run by my landlord’s place and pay the rest of my lease and give the keys back.”

Hux nodded. “That’s fine. I have some things I need to do here anyway. Did you find your key again?”

“It’s already on my keyring. I used it this morning when I went out.”

Hux arched a brow at him. “You went out?” He looked at the clock. “It’s only 9:30.”

“I went to get stuff for breakfast. There are muffins cooling, but I bought other stuff for a full breakfast if you want that. I can swing it before I need to leave.”

Hux stared at him. “You made muffins?”

“Well, yeah. They’re better that way.”

“Why the fuck didn’t I marry you sooner is the real question here.”

Kylo stopped and stared at him for a long second before he laughed loudly. “You didn’t ask me. Get up and eat. They’re better when they’re still hot.”

Hux gave him a put upon sigh but swung his legs out from under the warm covers when he got up and gave him room to do so.

He actually looked Kylo over as he preceded him into the kitchen and noticed he was wearing just a black turtleneck and jeans. Nothing odd. Nothing that was obviously found in a bin somewhere. He looked rather dashing, actually. Damn him.

He shook his head and followed him, getting looks from both Unamo and Phasma. “Don’t start on me. He brought me coffee.”

He caught Kylo smiling but ignored it in favor of the muffin that was offered to him on a small plate. “Blueberries? You’re… How…”

“Just eat it, Hux. Do yourself a favor and eat that muffin because if you don’t, I’m gonna marry him next,” Phasma said from behind him.

Kylo laughed in that loud way he had and gave her another one before pulling out another batch from the oven. “These are chocolate. I’m sure Unamo, and I might manage to leave one or two of them.”

Hux sat down at the bar beside Phasma and ate what was quite possibly the best piece of baked goods he’d ever put into his mouth. “Who are you and why do you know how to bake?” he said after he’d managed to clock in under two minutes on stuffing his face.

Kylo smiled and shrugged as he handed Unamo one of the still gooey muffins he’d just pulled out. “My grandmother. She used to let me bother her in her kitchen. Now she just tells me to stay in school while she threatens grandpa with a divorce every other day.”

Hux shook his head. It occurred to him then that he knew next to nothing about the man he’d agreed to marry. Judging by the delightful surprise this morning had brought him, he was going to have to change that.

After they had gorged themselves on Kylo’s thoughtful offering and he had left for his old apartment, the three that were left piled into the living room and wondered what sort of fellow had just fed them.

“Did anyone else feel like they fell through a wormhole this morning?” Hux asked.

Phasma and Unamo both raised their hands.

“Okay. At least it isn’t just me.”

Phasma looked over at him. “So, is he always like that or is this a ‘new leaf’ thing?”

Hux shook his head. “No. He’s usually contrary and a pest just for the sake of it. He stopped that nonsense the day he asked me. He’s been nothing but cooperative since. Today was a particularly strong example.”

Unamo leaned against Phasma’s shoulder. “Well, at least it was a good change. It’s not like he’s suddenly an asshole or something.”

“Yeah, he was just an asshole to start with,” Phasma mumbled. “But he made me apology muffins, so I’m pretty capable of looking past a great deal of assholery to get more.”

Hux laughed and tucked his feet into his seat. “Yes. So am I.”

“You’re married to him. You can put him on the couch for being a dick,” Phasma pointed out.

Hux looked at the band on his finger and shook his head. “That is still such a strange thought. I honestly didn’t think I would get married until I was thirty.”

“To be honest, I didn’t think you were ever going to get married. Not because we’re old or whatever. Because you’re so business minded. You never really think about the dating thing,” Unamo pointed out.

He shrugged. That was a true statement. He had only agreed to this because he  _ knew _ he wouldn’t find anyone else. Not until his degree was in his hands.

He sighed. “At least he cooks.”

His houseguests both raised their coffee mugs in a silent ‘amen’.


	4. So... California?

A week after the ceremony and things had finally settled into some semblance of normalcy again, they were sharing an array of Chinese food in the floor of the living room while their blueprints were spread out over the coffee table.

In reality, their arrangement was only beneficial. They no longer had to schedule to meet. It just sort of happened in their living room. No more chasing each other down for coffee. Kylo just brought it home with him and hoped Hux was in.

He’d taken to cooking when they were home or they ordered in. It was almost like a real marriage.

Hux supposed it was, in a way.

Kylo had his hair knotted up on the back of his head as he chewed on a pen. It was a terrible habit that Hux couldn’t bring himself to bother him about. Especially when it dragged across his lip when he pulled it away to make a note on something.

Hux rolled his eyes at himself before turning back to the food. As he fished out some noodles, Kylo looked over at him and gave him an amused smile. He set the noodles back down in the container. “What?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking about you eating spaghetti.”

Hux blinked. “What?” he repeated.

Kylo shook his head. “Sorry. Context might help. My grandmother called me this morning. She wanted to know if I was bringing you for Christmas. She fixes Italian dishes for it. I was just trying to picture you there.”

Hux kept right on blinking at him because words sure as hell weren’t happening.  _ Christmas? With Kylo’s family? What? _

“We’d be going to Fresno for it. It’s an open invitation so you don’t have to give me an answer right now. We still have a while before I need to get tickets,” he said offhandedly as he turned back to the drawings.

Hux sat his noodles aside, hunger forgotten. “Do you… Do  _ you _ want me to go?”

Kylo looked back over at him. “Sure. I don’t see why not. Unless you wanted to stay here and spend it with your family. I wouldn’t be too disappointed to spend Christmas in New York for once.”

Hux thought about it, tried to picture himself in a room with a bunch of strangers that vaguely looked like Kylo for a holiday that held no special meaning for him. “I don’t spend Christmas with my family. My mother died when I was small and my father despises me.”

Kylo studied him for a moment. “Great. You’re coming to Fresno with me, then.”

Hux stared at him. “Why?”

Kylo shrugged. “Well, my grandmother tends to feed me too much, and I have cousins that always seem to have fucktupled since I saw them last. I need someone to help me fend off too much pasta and remember all of the new names.” He offered a smile. “And no one deserves to spend the holidays alone. I’ve got enough family to go around.”

Hux tried not to think about it too much as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Kylo’s shoulders and held onto him.

Kylo made a noise in his throat but his arms came around Hux’s waist, and he found himself lifted into Kylo’s lap. One of Kylo’s hands was working a circle on his back and the other was on his hip, resting there.

For the first time in ages, he let himself feel the ache of days gone by when he had wished for a normal family.

“Want to talk about it?” Kylo asked against his shoulder.  

Hux shook his head and fought the tears that always stung his eyes when he thought about all of that family nonsense for too long. He pressed his face against Kylo’s neck and just let it happen anyway.

Even when he’d told Kylo he didn’t want to talk, he felt the words slipping out of his mouth anyway. After all, it was only fair. Kylo had told him about the scars.

“My mother died when I was five so my memories are spotty. I think my father blamed me for her death for some reason. I still don’t know why. He ignored me most of the time, dumping me on babysitters or nannies.” Kylo squeezed him then and he almost faltered, but he wanted someone to know. He could, at least, trust Kylo to keep this secret. “When I was thirteen, I came out. I was terrified, but I hated lying too much. He just looked down at me before he backhanded me and walked out of the study. The next day, the housekeeper drove me to the airport. He sent me to a boarding school in England until I graduated.” 

Kylo was immobile under him. Too still, really. He chanced a glance up and saw him in profile as he stared forward. The skin around the scar was pulled white by the anger on his face, and his eyes had gone black. The open rage startled him.

“Kylo?” he asked quietly.

And suddenly it was gone and everything shifted so brown eyes that were so soft they could have been cashmere looked down at him. “I’m sorry.”

Hux wasn’t sure if he was apologizing about his father or his own anger. He didn’t even know if Kylo was sure. “It was a long time ago.”

Kylo nodded. “Yeah. Maybe so. But there is no excuse.”

Hux laid his head back against Kylo’s shoulder and let himself be held. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been coddled like this. It was nice.

“So tell me more about this family that I’m going to meet,” he said just to change the subject to something far less distressing as he wiped his face.

Kylo huffed a small laugh and launched into talking about an array of cousins and extended family.

Hux sat quietly and listened to him talk for a long time. He was unaware when he slipped into sleep against Kylo’s collar.

Kylo looked down after Hux had been quiet for a good long time and saw his lashes down against his cheekbones and his breathing was heavy and slow. He shook his head and rose with Hux in his arms to carry him to bed.

The redhead didn’t so much as shift as he was carried and laid down on the side of the bed he had long since claimed as his.

Kylo looked at him in the light coming from the living room, and he seemed much smaller than he did when awake. Hux had a personality to be reckoned with that constantly put everyone around him in their places. He thought of the way they had met and found himself smiling as he tugged Hux’s Khakis off so he wouldn’t wake up in a grumpy ass mood.

In idle thought, he remembered the first time he'd met him.

_ Kylo squinted down at his map. It had to be around here somewhere. His watch said he was already late. So far, today had been garbage. Woke up late, no breakfast, no coffee. No fucking time. _

_ He looked up at the door numbers beside him again and made an annoyed noise before turning around and finding the right one. He sighed in relief and slipped in, giving the annoyed professor an apologetic look as he walked to the front of the class and took one of the seats that were left. _

_ An aristocratic looking redhead was looking him up and down as the professor got back to his introduction. His eyes strayed to the scar that was still tender with both memories and pain. He didn’t flinch, and his expression didn’t change. _

_ Kylo gave him a smile as he sat beside him. _

_ He received a pale brow raised in his direction but a smile accompanied it nonetheless. _

_ It took two weeks before they were paired up, and he learned who the redhead was. _

_ “Hux,” the guy said as he held out a hand to shake. _

_ Kylo smiled at him and shook his hand. Thin fingers and wrist were nearly engulfed in his hand, but they shook firmly. The teal gaze that met his was just as strong as it looked back up at him. _

_ Only an inch separated them, but he always felt eighty miles taller than just about everyone. _

_ “Kylo Ren,” he said as he finally let go. _

_ They sat at their station across from one another and started pulling things out of their bags to get started on the project that had been given to them. _

_ Hux’s things were set down with concise movements, and he had everything anyone would ever need to do something like what they had been given. _

_ Kylo had his book, a pad of paper, and a pen. And maybe he felt like he’d been over prepared until Hux had pulled a whole Target out of his bag. _

_ Whatever. They needed to get started. _

_ “So I did the math for this last night,” he started. _

_ Hux arched one of those pale brows at him and he was maybe a little smitten with his mildly annoyed expression. “You did.” It wasn’t a question. _

_ “Yeah. I wanted to get a head start on it.” _

_ “At least I won’t be carrying you,” he said in a tone that implied he had almost counted on it. _

_ Kylo rolled his eyes. “We’re partners. I don’t ever expect anyone to carry me.” _

_ “Good. I would have asked for a new partner.” He flipped open his notebook and neat lines of numbers were already filling the whole page. “I also got a jump on it. We should compare our answers.” _

_ Kylo shrugged one shoulder and got up, moving his stool so he could sit beside Hux. _

_ When they were shoulder to shoulder, they started comparing numbers and everything matched except for the big one at the end. The one that was really going to matter for their project. They were off by…a lot. _

_ “Are you sure you did the math right?” Kylo asked. _

_ He glanced over when he got no answer and the stone cold expression on Hux’s face was a guarantee that their whole relationship had just fallen off a sixty story building. _

Kylo shook his head at the memory and covered Hux up with the blankets. Who would have thought that three months later they would be married?

Not him.

Then again, he’d had everything going well for him then. He did not have to get hitched to keep his education where it was. He hadn’t ever kissed him or held him while he was looking at him with an expression of devastation in his eyes as he talked about his father.

Man… The kiss in the chapel though… He hadn’t planned on it. He hadn’t even really thought about it until he was saying his vows and watching Hux grow more and more emotional. Hearing someone promise to love him forever had pushed him over the edge.

Even if it was a sham, he’d never heard that from anyone before. No one had ever told him that he was loved for eternity.

And then Hux had been in his arms and everything had felt right in the world with their mouths pressed together.

Maybe it wasn’t such a sham after all. Not completely.

He knew Hux didn’t feel the same. This was just something he was doing to help them both out. It made sense.

He refocused on Hux’s sleeping face and shook his head at himself. Man, he was such a sap.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to Hux’s temple anyway.


	5. Welcome to Fresno

Hux was still firmly against airports, but having Kylo around helped. He was big enough that people tended to get out of his way so Hux just followed around after him in his wake with his hand holding onto the bottom of Kylo’s coat.

Kylo knew where he was going. Apparently, this was a normal trip for him.

Hux, however, didn’t like flying. He hadn’t been on a plane since he was eighteen. It made anxiety knot up in his stomach.

When they got to the terminal, Kylo gave the stewardess their tickets and took Hux’s hand as they walked down the jetway. Hux looked at him, but said nothing. Maybe Kylo had picked up on the unease.

Regardless, he was thankful even if he said nothing.

He sat and watched while Kylo packed their bags up in the cargo holder above their heads. He looked so normal in all of his layers. It was cold here at home. Bordering on frigid. So they had both worn sweaters and a coat. Kylo had on thick jeans whereas he wore Khakis.

It was a good look on him. It was considerably less jarring than his fall wardrobe. What with its strange patterns and odd hats. He had to admit he missed the skinny jeans though. Kylo had powerful legs. It was a tragedy that he didn’t get to openly stare anymore.

Maybe California’s weather would be more mild, and he would pull them out again.

As it was, the medication he had taken right before it had been time to board was kicking in, and he felt very sleepy. Which was the point. If he had to live through takeoff, he was going to cripple Kylo’s left hand.

When Kylo sat beside him, he leaned against his shoulder and let the warm heat against his cheek lull him into sleep even before the stewardess started talking about the safety procedures.

Kylo looked over when Hux settled against him and arched a brow. He was already gone, mouth open slightly as he slept.

He shook his head and made sure Hux was buckled up before settling in. His earphones were already around his neck and his phone charger in his pocket. If a sleeping Hux was the worst of this trip, then it was going to be the least awful in living memory.

On takeoff, Hux did little more than shift next to him and he smiled, putting his earphones on and turning on the music he’d preloaded for the trip.

He dreaded seeing his parents, but everyone else was still on the list of people he wanted to spend the holidays with.

The thought of that moment when he’d seen his mother for the first time since she’d called him to tell him she was cutting him off soured his mood. 

He’d been on a high from kissing Hux. Then it had all come crashing down. She’d been venomous with her words. It was nothing less than what he’d come to expect from her.

He loved her. That wasn’t going to change. But once she got an idea in her head, it was hard to get her to change. That had always been the problem between her and his dad. The two were volcanic together at best.

He shook his head and looked to Hux.

Here was hoping he and Hux never had to reach a point like that. Even if the marriage did dissolve naturally over the next two years, he hoped they could keep it peaceful.

He didn’t think he could handle that kind of poison in his life again.

He knew his parents loved each other. It was why they were still married. But they couldn’t live together. As a consequence, he’d rarely seen his father growing up.

He’d told Hux what to expect. He knew the redhead could hold his own against the tantrum prone side of his family. They were so used to getting their way. He knew he was just the same, but he’d forced himself to control his temper. He needed Hux, and he selfishly wanted this to work.

The next two weeks were going to be very telling on how strong Hux was as a person.

Kylo just hoped he could pull through.

He took Hux’s fingers in his own and laced them together before letting his own head drop back to try and catch some sleep.

After Hux had woken from his drug induced slumber to find Kylo massaging his neck, his cheeks had colored. He had managed to hide it and straighten in his seat, surreptitiously shrugging off Kylo’s hand.

“We’ve landed. The plane is taxiing to the right terminal,” Kylo said from beside him. His voice was deep like he’d just woken up himself.

Hux nodded and stretched the ache in his neck which had been eased by Kylo’s thoughtful hands.

When they’d reached the right air bridge and been told to disembark, they gathered their things and headed off into the airport to find Kylo’s grandparents who had promised to be waiting.

Kylo kept a hold on his hand so they wouldn’t lose one another through the throng of people as he looked around for his grandparents. He smiled when he finally saw a familiar face and tugged Hux in the right direction towards a Starbucks.

Hux was startled when a short older woman with little white flowers wound in her long hair came up to Kylo and hugged him hard around his waist. He let go of Hux’s hand long enough to hug her back.

When she let go of Kylo, she turned to Hux with keen brown eyes that reminded him instantly of Kylo’s. “Hello, dear. You must be Armitage. I’ve heard about you, but not enough. Welcome to Fresno.” Before he could fend her off, she pulled him into a hug as well.

He flushed but returned the hug and said, “Thank you. I hope we can get to know one another over the next couple of weeks.”

He glanced at Kylo who was standing next to a very handsome older man that must have been his grandfather. Both of them looked bemused but said nothing.

Once she’d let go of him, he was faced with the older man who held out his left hand as to shake. Hux knew he’d lost his arm so was prepared for the unorthodox greeting. “Armitage, welcome.”

Hux offered him a smile. “Thank you.”

“I’m Anakin and this is Padmé,” he said as he pulled her against his side.

She gave him a brilliant smile. “We’re glad Ben found someone to finally bring home.”

Kylo went still beside him, and he glanced up to see he was red across his nose.

Hux chuckled. “Well, so am I.”

He was surprised to find that it was true.


	6. Rosé

Packed into Anakin’s oversized sedan, they went out into the San Joaquin Valley with the windows rolled down, and Hux got his first taste of the West Coast. Fifty degrees and not a cloud in the sky. It made his sweater feel like overkill. He had to remind himself that it had been thirty when he’d left New York that morning.

Padmé turned in her seat and looked back at them over the center console. “So how is married life treating you two?”

They both went scarlet and didn’t look at one another as they searched for an answer somewhere out of their respective windows.

Anakin must have looked at them in the mirror because he started laughing. “Oh, I remember those days. Leave them alone, Padmé. They’re still getting used to it.”

She smiled and shook her head before returning her attention to Hux. “I don’t know if Ben told you, but Ani and I got married when I was twenty-four and he was nineteen. I was a senator at the time. It was all very off the books. Couldn’t tell anyone. It would have been the scandal of the century. He was in the Marines at the time. We couldn’t keep away from each other, really.”

“Grandma, that was in the sixties. No one cared,” Kylo interjected.

She rolled her eyes and looked back at Hux. “They did too. Ani’s brother nearly had an aneurysm.”

“He nearly killed me,” Anakin said as he turned out of traffic onto a lane.

“Okay, people who weren’t family wouldn’t have cared,” Kylo retorted.

She gave him a pointed look. “Anyway. It was all very hush hush at the time. So I understand the thrill of having a romance that no one knows about but the very closest.”

Hux glanced over at Kylo and found him looking back at him. They had discussed how this would go. They had agreed it would just be easier if they played it as if they were stupidly in love with each other.

“Whirlwind, really. One moment he was just some idiotic oaf, next he was asking me to marry him.” He shrugged and took Kylo’s fingers.

That wasn’t a lie. Really.

Kylo made a wounded noise but squeezed his fingers while Padmé smiled with all her beautiful white teeth.

“Isn’t that always the way? Anakin was nine when we met. I felt terribly mature in comparison.”

“I still say I thought you were an angel the first time I met you,” he commented.

Her cheeks pinked, and she reached over to touch his shoulder while Kylo was busy squeezing Hux’s fingers. “Yes, well. You do love to tell me so.”

Apparently this was one of the well-loved stories in their family. He could see why.

Anakin pulled into a driveway and announced, “Well, if we’re over the touchy-feely- things, we’re here.”

Hux smiled and gave Kylo’s fingers a squeeze before letting them go to get out of the car once they’d pulled into a garage. He noticed some sort of expensive looking something from the seventies sports car sitting next to the sedan with a mirror finished silver paintjob. He looked to Anakin and said, “Yours?”

Anakin looked over and snorted. “Not hardly. Padmé’s. She’s just as much of a speed demon as I am.”

Hux’s brows popped, but he didn’t comment as he went to the trunk to get his bags where Kylo was pulling them out.

Just because he could, he leaned up and pressed a kiss to the scar marring Kylo’s cheek as he took his bag from him.

Kylo stiffened before he turned his head and caught Hux’s mouth with his own. The arm that had been holding the bag went around Hux’s waist and held him there for a moment, catching him by surprise.

When Kylo pulled away, they were both pink in the face and looking at each other. Kylo’s eyes were that soft brown again as they looked down at him.

He felt something bubble up in his throat, but he made himself swallow it as he gently extracted himself and put his bag on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Kylo cleared his throat. “Anytime.”

Hux took the handle of his suitcase and followed the Skywalkers out into the driveway and looked up at the house, stopping dead. He hadn’t gotten a good look at the house from the car.

It was huge.

That was the only word he had for it. It was a beautiful edifice stuccoed in a pale sand and windows sparkled everywhere in the California sun. Two more garages were across the way.

An elbow got shoved into Kylo’s side and he grunted. “You didn’t tell me your family was loaded, Kylo,” he muttered so Anakin and Padmé wouldn’t hear him.

Kylo smiled and just shrugged. “I never think about it.”

“That’s what rich people say.”

“I’m not rich. I can’t touch my trust fund til I’m twenty-seven,” he said as he headed for the front door after his grandparents.

Hux groaned and followed after. At least there would be room for what had promised to be a small horde of people.

The inside was even more gorgeous than the outside with its wide open floorplan and bays of windows. Kylo led him to the second floor to a bedroom where he put his things down. The walls were the colour of Rosé and the bed was dressed in dusky pinks.

Hux couldn’t help but touch the comforter after laying his things down.

“If it’s too obnoxious we can move rooms, but this is the biggest bed. Figured we’re too tall for anything smaller,” Kylo said from beside him.

Hux looked over, and Kylo stood with his hands in his pockets. He seemed at ease here. “No, the opposite, actually. I like pink.”

The corner of Kylo’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t say anything in regards to the confession. “Well, welcome to California.”

Hux smiled at him. “Thank you for bringing me, Kylo.”

“Anytime, Hux, and I mean that.”

Hux averted his eyes back to the comforter. “I suppose we should unpack?” he said to avoid the offer.

“If you want. We can always wait til later.”

“No, I think I’d prefer to get it out of the way,” he said as he pulled one of his bags toward him and opened it.

Together, they tucked their things away, the presents they brought with them stacked on the dresser to be put under the tree with the rest.

Padmé stuck her head in the door. “Boys, Jaina and Jag are here with the kids.”

Kylo grinned and used his long stride to leave the room. Hux shook his head in amusement but followed after.

Padmé watched them go. Something wasn’t quite right yet, but she had a feeling it was going to end up exactly how it should be in the end. So instead of sticking her nose into their business, she went downstairs with them to see her great-grandchildren.


	7. For Better or Worse

Kylo was going to take his cousins’ arrival as a good excuse to shake off the weird feelings he’d been having about Hux since the start of their flight.

He descended the stairs and heard giggling coming from the living room. Walking to the doorway, he awaited being seen. With his size, it didn’t take long before he was set upon.

“Uncle Ben!” Twin shrieks of glee rang out, and he bent down to scoop the pair of them up.

His neck was wrung with hard hugs and kisses were planted on his cheeks. That ugly thing in his chest eased even further. These kids wouldn’t ever not love him like this. For that alone, he counted himself blessed.

He felt a touch to his back and looked over to see Hux beside him, smiling.

He turned so the twins could see Hux. “Guys, this is Hux. He’s your uncle now, too.”

Little Ani turned in Kylo’s hold and wrapped his arms around Hux’s neck until Kylo let him go and Hux was left to sink or swim.

Luckily, he got with the program and wrapped his arms under Ani’s legs to hold him against him.

“Hi, Uncle Hux,” he said as he hugged him.

“Yeah, hi Uncle Hux!” Wedge said from Kylo’s arms.

Hux’s expression was something akin to being overwhelmed, and Kylo touched his wrist. When he looked over, his teal eyes were wide.

“Welcome to the family,” he said gently. 

His breath hiccupped out of him, and Ani hugged him harder.

“What’re you cryin’ for, Uncle Hux?” he asked.

Hux swiped at his face and was surprised by the tears on his fingers. “I… It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

Hux looked around them and noticed a brunette woman and a man with white streaked through his black hair near his temple standing next to Anakin. Padmé came from behind him and rubbed between his shoulder blades.

“Let’s introduce you,” she said. “Little Anakin is the one in your arms. Wedge is the one Kylo’s managed to keep ahold of. Jaina is their mother. Jagged is that handsome fellow there standing next to Big Anakin.”

Hux gave a wave. “It’s nice to meet you all. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

That much was true. Kylo had talked at length about his family when he’d been given the chance.

Jaina came to him and collected Anakin from him. “We’ve heard little about you, but Ben’s always been that way. Keeps to himself.”

Kylo rolled his eyes. “I don’t give in to all of your nosy questions, you mean.”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

Jagged came up behind her and put a hand out toward Hux for what was no doubt a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you.”

Hux smiled. “I can say the same.”

Kylo watched as his family swallowed Hux up into them and made him feel at home. This was exactly why he’d brought him out here. He knew that they would help erase whatever shadows lingered in Hux’s mind after everything with his father.

They usually didn’t like outsiders, but he was part of the family now so he would be treated as such.

Wedge hugged him hard again before being asked to be put down. He kissed his forehead before putting the kid back on his feet where he could run to his brother. They agreed on something after putting their heads together and headed off deeper into the house.

Hux sat on a couch with Jaina on one side. Padmé and Anakin were occupying another and Jagged was in an arm chair. He found Kylo by the door as Jaina asked him how they had met.

He swallowed and met Kylo’s eyes. “Uh… We actually got paired together for a project in our mechanical lab. I thought he was a nuisance. I was right.”

Everyone laughed, and Kylo gave him the finger but came over to sit beside him and took his hand. “I didn’t exactly think you were the greatest thing either once I actually started talking to you.”

“What changed?” she asked.

Hux shrugged. “We spent too much time together for the project. One thing led to another.”

She nodded. “Sounds pretty romantic, actually.”

_ Not really _ , he thought.  _ More like it’s a romanticized way to scam the government, but I’ll let you live in your delusion. _

“Very,” he said instead.

More questions. A lot of questions. He had been prepared for this though. He was the new face. They were family. They wanted to know what he wanted to do; what kind of person he was.

The least he could do was be honest with them.

Eventually, they ran out of immediate questions and Padmé turned to Kylo. “Ben, your mother is supremely upset with you. I’m sure you know that. What’s going on between you two?”

It was Kylo’s turn to look uncomfortable in the hot seat. “She… She cut off my tuition money and everything else.”

Padmé’s brows came down over her eyes, and Hux saw where Kylo got his righteous temper from. “She did this knowing you were about to get married and going to school?”

Kylo shook his head. “No. No one knew we were getting married.”

_ Not even us, _ Hux thought.

“Did she give a reason?”

That was the real question. Hux hadn’t ever felt like it was his place to ask it. He figured Padmé was going to get an answer though.

Kylo swallowed. “She said she wasn’t going to keep paying for it if I didn’t come intern for her. Honestly, what’s a mechanical engineer going to do in a politician’s office?”

“Complain, if I know anything about you, Ben,” Jaina interjected.

That earned her a glare. “I’m serious, Jaina.”

“So am I. You never were interested in the family business on the political side. You’re like grandpa.”

Anakin seemed to swell with pride on that one and reached over to squeeze Kylo’s knee. “Nothing wrong with that.”

Kylo gave a weak smile. “So I’m going to do it the hard way. I’ve already applied for federal aid and everything. I should be good.”

Hux covered his hand with his own where he was already holding it and rubbed his thumb over his wrist. “We’re alright. It’s just been an adjustment.”

Kylo looked over at him and nodded. “We can handle it.”

“Well, I’m glad you two found each other when you did. Otherwise, this wouldn’t have been such an easy transition.”

A voice sounded from the doorway. “And from what I know about your mother, she’s going to be fit to be tied that you’re doing well.”

Kylo froze and his lashes flared slightly.

Hux looked over to see a handsome older man in clothes that looked fit for a vagabond. What was it with the men in Kylo’s family all being attractive? Really. But by Kylo’s reaction, he knew this had to be Han Solo.

Kylo had told him a bit about his father. He talked more about Han’s constant companion, Charlie. Or, well, Chewie as he had been called.

Their relationship was contentious at best, non-existent at worst. Han had been absent most of Kylo’s younger life, on the road running freight all over the country all the time.

Nothing he did or said here would make this relationship better, so he decided not to hide how he felt about the Senator. “Then that is of her own doing, isn’t it.”

Han’s attention shifted to Hux. “Who are you?”

Hux lifted his left hand and wiggled his ring finger. “ _ Ben’s _ husband.” It felt strange using Kylo’s real name, but oh well.

Han’s eyes narrowed at him. “Husband?” He turned to his son. “When the fuck did you get married.”

“November fifth,” Kylo answered. It was more quiet than it should have been in the face of Han’s indignant anger.

Hux looked over and saw Kylo looking down at his lap.

This was  _ so _ not happening.

“Is there a problem here?” he asked, getting to his feet and standing blatantly between Han and Kylo.

He saw the looks of surprise on Jagged and Padmé’s faces. He didn’t care. This was why he was here. Sure, Kylo had brought him to enjoy time with family during a holiday, but he was also married to him.

Better or worse, wasn’t it.

Well, this was their ‘worse’.

And it was about to happen in front of Kylo’s preferred family. There were a great deal of other ways this could be handled, but he couldn’t think of any better ones on the fly like this. Not when Kylo was sitting behind him looking like a kicked puppy.

“Wondering why my own son didn’t even tell me he was getting married,” Han snapped, trying to see around Hux.

Hux shifted on his hips to hide him as best he could. He knew he wasn’t big enough to hide Kylo’s hulking frame, but he was going to try.

“Because I was under the impression that you were nowhere to be found, and his mother had cut him out of her life. I can’t say I’m sorry you didn’t get an invitation though from what I’m seeing now,” Hux said in even, clipped tones.

This was too much like dealing with his own father. But he knew what to do. He had practice at this. He could handle the fist to the face if it came. With Han Solo, at least, he wouldn’t have to hold back. He could take this on with everything he had.

Before Han could lose his temper, Anakin rose and stood right in front of him. “Han, I think it’s time you got your things and got settled at home. We’ll see you back here for the meal at six.”

It wasn’t a request.

Han was taller, but Anakin had a presence that unfurled around him, taking up all of the oxygen in the room and grabbing onto everyone’s attention.

With a last glare at Hux, Han turned and stormed out.

As soon as the front door slammed shut, everyone went lax where they were sitting. Hux turned to Kylo, squatting down in front of him.

Kylo just looked numb.

“Are you alright?”

Kylo finally focused on him before pulling him up into his lap to straddle his legs and hugged him tight. He didn’t seem to care that his family was there. He didn’t even seem to notice when Hux looked at Padmé and tilted his head toward the door.

She nodded and motioned for everyone to follow her toward the kitchen.

When the door closed behind everyone else, he stroked his hand through Kylo’s soft hair trying to get him to calm down with his face tucked against his neck.

Kylo seemed to fold in on himself and lose all of his obstinate attitude.

Hux knew this wasn’t going to get any better. There was nothing he could do to repair that relationship so he tried to get Kylo focused on anything else.

“What do you think Padmé will make for dinner tonight? I’m famished,” he said in an even tone as he kept running his fingers through Kylo’s hair. When no answer was forthcoming, he said, “Maybe it will be that spaghetti you talked about. I haven’t had proper Italian food in ages.”

Kylo pulled him closer until they were chest to chest and tilted his face up to cover Hux’s mouth with his own.

Hux was stunned by the movement just as he had been in the garage, but he let himself sink into it. This was what Kylo seemed to need. He held his face between his hands and kissed him properly like he’d thought of since their marriage ceremony. He kept his mouth gentle on Kylo’s, more coaxing than passionate.

He wanted to give him whatever comfort it was he needed to get over what was tormenting him.

He felt cool tears stain the pads of his thumbs and pulled back to look at Kylo. His lashes were closed and sticking together with the wetness of his tears, and his soft mouth hung slack.

“Kylo?” he inquired quietly.

Kylo opened his eyes to look up at him, and Hux could see the deep sadness there. “I’m okay.”

Hux shook his head. “You see, I don’t believe that. Talk to me, Kylo.”

“I don’t have enough hours in the day to explain what my father has put me through.” He leaned into the hand on his cheek. “It’s best if I leave it buried in my past, Hux.”

Hux stroked his thumb along the scar. “If you do decide to talk, I will listen.”

Kylo made a noise. “I’ll try to remember.”

Hux kissed his forehead and used the cuff of his soft sweater to wipe at Kylo’s face. “I believe everyone is waiting for us to join them in the kitchen.”

Kylo pressed his forehead to Hux’s collar as he hugged him close. “Thank you.”

Hux ran his fingers through Kylo’s hair. “Any time.”

Kylo helped him rise from where he was still straddling him. When he stood in front of him, he said, “I’m sorry that I kissed you.”

Hux looked at him and his eyes were downcast. “Are you really?”

Brown eyes flicked up to search his face and found nothing that would make him believe that it was a bad thing. “No. No, not really.”

Hux took his fingers. “Good, because what sort of husband would I be if I couldn’t make you feel better?”

Kylo managed to crack a smile and followed him to the kitchen.


	8. Made This Way

Other than the contentious feelings at dinner between Kylo and Han, the next few days were quiet leading up to Christmas. More family arrived. More questions were asked. More mild annoyances were pressed into Hux until he felt like he were actually part of their family.

He nearly forgot he wasn’t.

Until Luke and Mara Jade arrived with Rey in tow. Luke and Mara Jade’s reception of Kylo was icy at best, but Rey launched at him and hugged him hard.

“Missed you,” he heard Kylo mutter against her ear.

She grinned in a blinding way. “Missed you too.”

When she finally relinquished her hold around his shoulders, he laid his hands on her shoulders to hold her at arm’s length. “How are Finn and Poe?”

“Back at home missing me, I expect.”

Hux blinked when he found that she had an accent not too dissimilar with his own. Luke and Mara Jade both had accents that were distinctly American. He would have to ask Kylo about that later.

Everyone filtered back into the sitting room while he, Kylo, and Rey were left in the foyer.

Kylo turned to him and motioned as an introduction. “Rey, this is my husband, Armitage Hux.”

Rey grinned at him and stuck out a thin hand. “Hi. I hear about you a lot.”

Hux blinked but took her hand. “You do?”

She shrugged with one shoulder, making her buns bob on the back of her head. “Sure. Ben talks a lot if you know how to get him into chatterbox mode. Said you were the best partner he’d ever had a couple of months ago.”

Kylo’s nose was pinking across the bridge, but he didn’t correct her. Instead, he scooped her up over his shoulder and carried her as she giggled and flailed toward the sitting room.

He plopped her down, and she went to give Anakin and Padmé hugs.

“Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara, this is Hux,” he said as he reached behind him for Hux’s hand.

Hux moved to take it and faced down with an Amazonian woman nearly as tall as he was with red hair to match and a rather hermit-looking fellow with a grey beard and hair. “Nice to meet you.”

Mara Jade gave him a once over before swinging her hair and going to flounce down on a couch beside Padmé who gave her a scolding. Luke, however, folded his hands in front of him and seemed to study Hux for a long moment.

“I hope you two have a long and happy time together. Congratulations.”

Some of the tension in Kylo’s shoulders eased, and Hux gave a reflexive smile, thanking him.

Later, Hux and Kylo were sitting outside on the patio as the sun was beginning to wane, watching over the twins and Rey as they played a rather vicious game of tag. He looked over at Kylo and asked, “So Rey has a British accent?”

Kylo glanced over. “She spawned that way.”

Hux blinked at him, and he started laughing.

“She’s adopted. Her mother died in childbirth so her grandfather took care of her until she was six. Luke and Mara Jade took her in when he died.” He shrugged. “She was already like my cousin anyway. Grandpa and her grandfather, Obi-Wan, were friends in the war. I’m named after him because he was around when mom and Luke were kids.”

Hux looked back to the girl that was chasing after a pair of very enthusiastic eight year olds with abandon. “She has faced a lot of tragedy to be so joyful.”

Kylo nodded and took another drink of the beer he’d snagged out of the fridge. “You’ve got that right. It’s amazing how much she’s gone through, but you wouldn’t know it.” He grew quiet for a moment before saying, “Even after the accident, she was in my room every day reading to me or just hanging out to watch a basketball game. She wouldn’t leave til I could.”

Hux shook his head. “That’s remarkable.”

“You’re telling me…” As he sank into his thoughts and his eyes focused somewhere in the middle distance, his hand strayed over to take Hux’s.

Hux did nothing more than hold them when they were laced together.


	9. Like You Mean It

Christmas Eve saw them all piled into the dining room around a massive oak table with its back bowed from the weight of the food Padmé and Mara Jade had piled onto it. Elbows were bumping as they all started to gather until the doorbell rang.

Anakin rose. “That’ll be Liam and Ava. Be right back.”

Everyone else was busy figuring out how they were going to eat packed around the table, but it wasn’t a hardship by any definition.

Hux and Kylo were content to be pressed thigh to thigh under the table with Rey on one side and one of the twins on the other. Hux hadn’t gotten the hang of telling them apart yet.

Anakin returned followed by a pair of very blonde people with a very blonde child held on the woman’s hip.

Behind them, a familiar shape emerged from the parlor’s doorway.

Kylo stiffened when he saw his mother but didn’t stop talking to tell Hux that the pair that walked in were his aunt and uncle, Liam and Ava. Liam was apparently someone named Owen’s son. Ah. Right. Anakin’s brother.

He was beginning to understand Kylo’s issue with keeping up with everyone’s names.

He watched warily as Leia took her place next to Han. She was immediately engrossed in something that resembled an argument from across the room.

Kylo leaned over to him. “They like to pray, but you don’t have to. They’ll understand.”

Hux shook his head. “No, that’s alright. I’ll respect your family.”

Kylo pressed a kiss to his temple in thanks, and Hux caught the look on his mother’s face. She seemed to be prepared to blow a gasket.

Hux turned and spoke into Kylo’s ear. “I’m almost certain your mother despises me and will probably have some sort of coronary if you kiss me again.”

“Really?” Kylo asked, voice dropped a register below the chattering of everyone in the room. Hux hummed, and he turned to kiss him deeply.

Well, he could say one thing about Kylo for certain. He was one hell of a kissing partner. He put a hand on Kylo’s thigh and leaned into him as Kylo cupped his face.

Hux felt a pull on his sleeve that had him pulling away, mildly flushed. The twin that had plopped down next to him was making a face, and he laughed, pulling him over to kiss his dark hair.

The boy squirmed away, and he let him.

He felt Kylo take hold of his hand on the table and saw him holding hands with Rey as well. He knew enough from boarding school what was happening and took the twin’s hand in his own. He was almost sure it was Little Ani.

Around the table, he watched as everyone bowed their heads and followed suit. He didn’t know the prayer, so he stayed quiet, but he listened. It was simple to bless the table, and before he knew what was happening, hands were dropped and silverware was foraged for to clink on fine china.

He watched in amusement as no one spared anyone else as they filled their plates, passing dishes around or fighting over them. His own plate sat empty as he just observed what it was like to eat around people you loved. It was fascinating really. The children were served first by their parents except Anakin who was fending for himself rather well until he couldn’t reach a bowl.

Hux smiled and snagged it for him, holding it so the boy could shovel pasta onto his plate.

Ani shoved his sleeves up and fell to with gusto only children were capable of, and Hux stifled a laugh.

He felt a gentle nudge to his ribs and looked over to see Kylo offering him a bowl of spaghetti. The laughter tumbled out of his mouth, then.

One thing was for certain, he was never going to look at pasta the same way again.

Leia watched from across the table with a kind of calculated rage happening in her chest. Her son was fawning over someone he had only met four months ago. He had  _ married  _ him without telling anyone what was happening. Not even her parents.

This Hux character wasn’t even being subtle with working his way in with the family. He obviously wanted in on the money. He was being too accommodating and friendly.

Except with Han whom he had dressed down, apparently.

She was only mildly sorry she had missed that. She loved him, but he was often wrong.

Regardless, this  _ boy _ had wooed her son into marrying him because of the family money. He was even playing nice with Anakin and Wedge who were sitting beside him.

The way Ben was looking at him explained that he very much  _ believed _ he was in love with Hux. That much was apparent. The way he handled the redhead was so very rarely seen. It wasn’t often he put someone else before his own wants or needs, but he had offered the other food first despite his monstrous appetite. He asked before he passed something along.

It was utterly bizarre.

She was determined to get to the bottom of what exactly had happened to cause a shotgun wedding.

It obviously wasn’t a baby. It had to be money.

Hux had to have manipulated her son during his weakest point right after she had told him that she wasn’t paying for his school anymore. She wouldn’t stand for it.

Hux gave Kylo a sleepy hug after dinner and told him he was going to step outside for a smoke. It had been a while since he’d felt the urge so he felt it wasn’t too extravagant to give in tonight. It was Christmas Eve after all.

He got a nod in return as Kylo told him he would be in the living room with everyone else. A kiss was dropped to his mouth in casual affection that was becoming second nature. It was nice, really.

He left the house and exited to the terrace near the pool in the back yard that looked out over the San Joaquin Valley. It was still sort of warm from the nearly sixty degree weather in the afternoon. He lit a cigarette that he fished from a packet in his pocket and inhaled deeply as he looked out over the beautiful view.

“Do you really think I’m going to let you do this?”

He coughed from being startled, exhaling roughly around his choking. He turned to see Leia Organa through the unwanted tears in his eyes. When he finally got himself back under control, he straightened to his full height. “What?”

“Do you really think I’m going to let you break my son’s heart just so you can take half of his assets?” she demanded, arms akimbo at her sides.

“Again, what? I have no desire to take anything from Kylo,” he said as he studied her face in the lights from the house. He had no idea what she was talking about, but he was damned sure going to get her to explain.

“You’re after his money. You always have been. Well, I’m here to tell you that he has none. Not until he’s twenty-seven. And that’s a long time for a gold-digger to wait,” she snapped.

Dawning hit him like a brick to the forehead and he just stared at her. “Let me get this right. You think I’m married to Kylo for his money?”

“Of course, I do. There’s no other good reason for you two to get married and no one in the family to know about it.”

He took a long drag and let it out in a slow stream just to irritate her. And maybe so he could keep his own temper in check. “Mrs. Organa, I think you are sorely misinformed. Mostly about your own son. You say there is no other reason to marry Kylo. I could give you ten thousand before Christmas. While he may not be the most patient man, and he can be a total nuisance when he wants, he is still worthy of everything I can possibly give him.

“I would rather be poor and never see another dime of money as long as I live than give up your son. You can threaten to take away his Trust fund, but I don’t really give a bloody fuck what you do with your money. I care about him. He brings me coffee on Sunday mornings when I’m barely human. He tolerates my own tantrums when my calculations don’t come out properly. He has built relationships with  _ my _ friends because that seemed the right and proper thing to do.  

“I want nothing more than to be happy with him. We have an apartment and a cat and friends in New York all by ourselves without your help. I’m completely content to keep it that way.” He jabbed the remains of his cigarette at her in the space between them. “I married him because I wanted to and for no other reason. Since then, I haven’t had one complaint about Kylo Ren except that he has an exceedingly nosy mother that keeps ruining some of the most peaceful moments of my life.

“I was invited here because I have no family of my own. Your son did that out of the kindness of his heart, not because he wanted to show me off. He wanted to show off what good people his family are. He was obviously mistaken where you and your husband are concerned.”

He lifted his shoe and put his cigarette out, sticking the stub in his pocket as he stared at her dumbfounded face. “Not everyone has ulterior motives. Did you when you got married? Or did you love your husband then? Have you forgotten that through all of your ire for him?”

He left her and strode around the pool to go back into the house but saw a tall figure standing in the light coming from the kitchen.

“Kylo,” he said quietly, afraid he had heard what he had said.

Before he could reach him, Kylo turned and went back into the house, finding the stairs that he took two at a time.

Hux swore and chased after him. He found him in the room they were sharing, back toward the door as he sat on the edge of the bed. Knowing that this could be horribly loud, he closed the door behind him. “Kylo,” he said carefully, more feeling out the temperament of the other man.

Kylo punched to his feet and turned to Hux, his face a mask of utter calm. “Did you mean that?”

Hux blinked. “What I said to your mother?” This wasn’t nearly the reaction he had thought he would receive. He’d thought Kylo would have been livid with the way he’d spoken to Leia. “Of course, I did. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. I think she’s a terrible excuse for a moth—”

His voice was smothered when Kylo jerked him forward by the front of his sweater and covered his mouth with his own. He gasped and Kylo swallowed it, holding him hard against himself as he completely ravaged his mouth.

Hux was utterly defenseless, and his knees really did go weak this time with no one to save him. Except Kylo’s arm was barred around his back, holding him in place until he was damn well ready to let him go.

It took only a moment for his hands to get with the program as he sank them into soft black locks and swept through them to tug at the base of Kylo’s skull. It made a liquid sound come out of him, and he nipped at Hux’s lip, making it sting.

When Kylo finally pulled back, they were both breathing hard in the inch between their mouths.

It took a moment for Hux to regain his wits, but when he did, he smiled. “Well, if I’d known you were going to kiss me like that I would have lost my temper a long time ago.”

Kylo laid their foreheads together with a huff of laughter. “I would say ‘sorry’, but I wouldn’t mean it.”

Hux shrugged and curled black strands around his fingers just because they were soft. “I would be tragically upset if you did.”

“Thanks for defending me,” Kylo said, his voice serious again.

Hux shrugged. “Don’t thank me. I only told the truth. You are a rather swell guy once you stopped being a total twat about everything.”

Kylo snorted a laugh. “Did you just say ‘swell’ with a straight face?”

Hux tugged his hair. “Yes, I did. It’s a perfectly acceptable word when describing you. Despite popular opinion, you aren’t as bad as you make everyone think.”

Kylo smiled and kissed him again. “Yeah. You’re not half bad either.”

He smiled back and pulled Kylo into a hug, tucking his face into black curls. He didn’t know what the emotion in his chest was, but he was very certain that it revolved around Kylo. He didn’t want to put a name to it. Else, he might break his own heart. So instead, he let Kylo hold him and tried to ignore his slightly hard cock in his jeans.

“Ready to go face the family?” Kylo asked after a while.

“I suppose so. They are probably missing my sparkling charm.”

Kylo laughed and took his hand as they left their room.


	10. Ten Thousand Reasons

In all honesty, Kylo hadn’t ever thought Hux would defend him. He hadn’t ever thought Hux would even have anything nice to say about him. For once, he was glad he was dead wrong.

Hearing his mother slander him was nothing new. Not since he’d left the boarding school at eighteen that she’d shoved him into at twelve. He’d packed up one day and walked out. She had been furious, calling him every five seconds.

Eventually, he’d bought a new phone with money he’d stockpiled and hadn’t looked back since. Two years later didn’t see that anger waning any, apparently.

As they walked into the living room where everyone was spread out over furniture or piled in the floor on pillows watching A Christmas Story, everyone looked up.

Probably to see what the state of their relationship was in after he’d stormed through the house and thumped his way up the stairs. Oh well.

They got a few raised eyebrows at their connected hands, but no one said anything. Rey just tossed out pillows from her and the twins’ pile for them to sit on.

He sat and pulled Hux between his legs to lean against him and wrapped his arms around him as he leaned back against the coffee table.

After a moment, Hux said, “You know, I’ve never actually seen this film.”

All hell broke loose.

Yammering and ribbing blotted the movie out, and then they started it over again while Little Anakin crawled over to plop himself in his lap. He leaned his head back to look up at Hux. “I can say all the lines.”

Hux chuckled and ruffled his hair before settling back into Kylo’s chest. “I look forward to the echo.”

Kylo spent more time looking at Hux’s profile than he did the movie while Hux watched with rapt attention.

By the end, Ani had fallen asleep in Hux’s lap, head cradled in the crook of Hux’s arm. He ruffled his fingers through his dark hair and found himself smiling.

He felt Kylo nudge him to sit forward and waited until Kylo was standing to relax.

Kylo squatted in front of him and carefully lifted Ani from Hux’s lap to cradle him against his shoulder, one arm under his legs to keep him there. He offered a hand for Hux to help him up, and he took it, rising beside him.

Jagged came to Kylo with Wedge held in a mirror of Kylo. “I’ll take him. We’re going to head home for the night. We’ll see you guys in the morning.”

Kylo nodded and passed Ani over with care so he wouldn’t wake.

It was only then that Hux noticed Kylo’s parents were gone. Probably because he’d shut Leia down.

Kylo pulled him against his side, and Hux looped an arm around his waist as they walked with everyone to say goodbye to Jag and Jaina.

When everyone had said their goodbyes and started to disperse, Rey poked Kylo in the side. “Wanna play cards?”

He snorted. “You mean you want to take all my money again.”

She shrugged and grinned. “Probably. It’s not my fault you have a crap poker face.”

He grumbled before giving Hux a kiss and following her to the kitchen.

Hux smiled as he watched them go.

It took a half a second before Padmé was beside him. “Armitage, may I have a word?”

He looked over and nodded. “Of course.”

She motioned for him to follow her into the parlor and closed the door behind her. “I’ve been quiet on the matter since you two arrived, but I have something I wanted to ask you.”

He was confused but made a motion for her to continue.

“Do you love, Ben?” she asked as she sat and arranged herself on a loveseat.

The question made his knees turn to jelly, and he sank down onto something. He thought it might be a chair. Or a table. Or a metaphysical apparition. At this point, nothing would surprise him.

He swallowed as she watched him with her brown eyes that made him think of Kylo. “I… That’s a complicated question.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think it is. It’s either yes or no.”

He rubbed a hand over his face. “It really isn’t. Can I be honest with you, Padmé? And it not leave this room?”

Her brows rose, but she nodded. “Of course.”

He took a deep breath. “I married Kylo because it was convenient, and he did the same. We came into this not having any feelings for each other. That was the point. We did it because federal aid is more helpful if you are married.”

She nodded but didn’t comment either way.

“That’s why no one knew about me. No one would have had any reason to know.” He paused and rubbed his hands on his jeans. “To be honest, I thought Kylo was a nuisance until the day he asked me. He was purposefully contrary most of the time until then.”

She snorted. “He does that.”

Hux nodded and kept talking. “Then, he started acting like a real human being instead of a teenager, and I can’t help but to see how great he really is. So it started out as a sham of a marriage, but… I’m not sure I want it to stay that way.”

She held her council for a long moment and considered what he’d told her. “I came in here thinking that I didn’t want you to hurt my grandson. He’s fragile. He’s big and hard and he can be mean, but in his heart he has seen hardship and it nearly broke him. Now, I think it might be the other way around. I don’t know much about you, Armitage. That much is true. However, I believe you.

“Ben is good at strategy. He is good at making people do what he wants. I don’t think it’s true with you, though. I assume it was months before he approached you with this proposal. His mother didn’t hit him with the cut off until October. He would have tried everything he could think of if he cared about you. It failed.

“So my question is, does he feel the same?”

Hux blanched, the blood rushing from his head. What if he didn’t? What if he was doomed to have everything fall apart around him because Kylo didn’t feel the same?

He put his face in his hands and sat forward, folding in on himself.

The seat sank beside him, and he felt a small hand rubbing between his shoulder blades. Her voice was gentle as she spoke. “Ben is known for his torrential seasons of feeling. It changes with the wind some days. You live with him. I’m sure you know that. But once he settles on something, once he finds something he feels strongly about, he doesn’t budge.

“When Rey first came to Luke for good, he was on the fence about how he felt. He was sixteen at the time and didn’t have time for a tagalong. Then, one day, he sat with her to colour because he had a broken leg from a bike accident and couldn’t go anywhere.”

“They’ve been inseparable since. The accident that left him with all those scars was just another instance where he proved that he’s not as changeable as he pretends. He nearly died trying to protect her. He came out mangled and she only had glass in her hands and a scrape on her shoulder. So once he decides he loves someone, he is completely devoted to them.”

Hope bloomed somewhere near Hux’s navel, and he sat up to look at her. “What do you think of how he feels about me?”

She smiled. “I’ve never seen him quite so… well, I suppose soft is a word. He asks you before he considers something. That’s unlike him. He usually just tosses himself headlong into whatever it is he’s doing. He’s like his father on that. Your opinion matters enough to change his mind. That’s enormous. So no, not all hope is lost.”

“I’m going to hug you,” he said before he wrapped his arms around her.

She laughed and patted his hair. “You don’t have to warn me. I like them.” She squeezed his shoulders. “Even if things look bleak, don’t give in to the dark horizon. There’s sunshine somewhere behind all of the bluster.”

Tears stung his eyes, and he buried his face into her sweet-smelling hair. “Thank you.”

“Whenever you need it, I’m around to tell you that it’s going to get better,” she said and kissed his hair. “Ben deserves to be happy just as much, if not more, than anyone else. I believe you can be that for him if you really care about him.”

He nodded against her shoulder and just stayed there until he wasn’t crying anymore.

Kylo was busy getting his ass kicked by Rey at poker for the umpteenth time when Hux came in. He looked up and smiled, but it faded as soon as he got a look at him. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he was pale.

He went to sit, but Kylo took him by the wrist and pulled him over beside him. “Hey, are you alright?”

Hux gave him a weak smile and leaned down to kiss his hairline. “I will be. I’m just missing my mother.”

Kylo’s heart dropped, and he shifted so he could pull Hux between his spread knees and look up at him. “I’m sorry, Hux. Can I do anything?”

Hux’s eyes welled, but he shook his head and smoothed Kylo’s hair back from his face. “Deal me in.”

Kylo nodded. “Sure.” He pulled a chair out on his other side and let Hux sit before Rey shuffled everything back together and dealt a new hand.

She was studiously watching the cards to make sure they didn’t go everywhere, but she finally looked up to meet Hux’s eyes. “I know it’s hard around the holidays to miss them. You’re not alone, though. My parents died before I even knew them. So… ya know, I can listen even if I don’t have a lot of advice.”

Hux swallowed hard, and Kylo had to fight back his own emotions.

Hux reached across the table and covered her hand with his own. “Thank you, Rey. That means a lot. I’ll offer you the same in reverse.”

She nodded and dropped her eyes back to the cards. “So, whose money am I taking this time?”

That brought a smile across Hux’s face, and Kylo made a mental note to get Rey whatever she wanted for her birthday.

He was so glad he’d brought Hux with him it wasn’t even funny anymore.


	11. Welcome to the Skywalker Family

Christmas morning dawned crisp and overcast.

Not that Hux or Kylo knew that. They were cuddled too close to know even if they’d been awake.

Hux was tucked with his face in Kylo’s chest, and Kylo had a pillow pulled up over his head to ward off the blinking lights from the eaves that were still coming through the windows.

Altogether, it was blissfully warm when Hux woke sometime around seven with Kylo’s arm wrapped around him. He nuzzled at the warm skin at Kylo’s collar before stretching languidly.

Kylo seemed to rouse at the movement and pulled him back against him before rolling half on top of him to smother him in a full-bodied kind of snuggle that made him laugh into the quiet darkness.

Kylo made a deep happy noise against his throat and wrapped both arms under him as he buried his nose right up under Hux’s ear.

Hux stroked over wide shoulders and what he could reach of Kylo’s back.

Kylo dragged his lips up to Hux’s ear, making him shiver. “Merry Christmas.”

A flush sparked over Hux’s nose and cheeks, and he mumbled, “Merry Christmas.”

Kylo pulled away just enough to kiss Hux’s mouth for a brief moment before their door was thrown wide open and light sliced into the room.

A small, thin body launched onto the bed and bounced with a loud, “Merry Christmas!”

Kylo groaned against his mouth before pulling away to reach over and roll Rey off the bed. “You’re a brat.”

She hit the carpet with a small thud and then her head popped up over the edge of the mattress. “It’s Christmas! You’re being a butt. Come on!”

She got up and grabbed the wrist of the hand he’d pushed her off with and used all of her meager strength to tug at him.

He looked back over at Hux with a put-upon expression as she did nothing more than rock him from side to side even though she was throwing all of her weight into it.

Hux laughed quietly and kissed the center of Kylo’s chest. He looked up at Rey. “Go get some coffee started, and I’ll get him up, alright?”

She grinned and dropped his arm before she was gone in a flash.

Kylo grunted and rolled back over to cover Hux up again with a smothering kiss. “Stop promising her stuff. She’ll think it’s a given if you do it too much,” he mumbled against his mouth.

Hux smiled and touched his face. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the half-light was against Kylo’s skin. “I never said how long it would take to get you up.”

Kylo flashed his teeth in something akin to a grin before he dove back in for kisses that left Hux panting lightly.

A desire to wake up in exactly this way for the rest of his life washed over him. He hoped it would last.

Kylo looked down at Hux, the hallway light only touching half of his face enough that he could see him. He looked thoughtful and soft around the edges, like he hadn’t quite woken up yet despite kissing him back with enthusiasm.

Hux tucked the hair hanging in his face back behind his ears, and he smiled at him.

Marriage was sucking less and less. Not that theirs ever really had. Since day one, it had been kind of like a dream. He kept waking up thinking that today would be the day that they would have a falling out.

He kept being proven wrong.

Hux kept waking up next to him, completely pliant and wanting of nothing more than coffee. Affection was given and taken without expectation.

It was utterly bizarre for him. He’d only ever seen his grandparents act this way.

The thought stopped him dead.

He’d been so terrified that they were going to end up like his parents that he had missed where they were really headed.

Happily married.

Well, holy shit. He’d managed to get the one thing he’d wanted out of life by a total fucking accident.

“Kylo?” Hux asked.

Kylo refocused on him and couldn’t help the dopey smile on his face. “Yeah. I’m good. I got caught up thinking.” He leaned down and kissed him. “Let me get a shirt and we’ll go down.”

Hux nodded. “Alright. I’m going to brush my teeth.”

Kylo sat up and watched him as he went to the attached bathroom and closed the door. What a fucking stroke of luck this had been.

He shook his head and went to pull on a shirt and brushed his teeth after Hux was done in the bathroom.

Just because he could, he kissed Hux again before they descended the stairs together to find everyone pooling around the Christmas tree in the living room after Hux had collected his coffee.

Rey was busy doling out presents to everyone, leaving the twins’ and Liam’s daughter’s under the tree.

He could tell Hux was surprised to have a small tower of boxes in front of him. That may or may not have been part of Kylo’s plan to make him feel at home. He’d called his grandfather and asked him if he could do something for Hux. Anakin had been more than happy to do it for him.

Rey started the ragged circle in opening presents, too excited to be gentle with the paper. A pair of new gaming headphones popped out and she exclaimed in delight as she took them out and put them on.

Luke smiled at his daughter before opening his own box. Some sort of vintage collectible was in the box, and he thanked Padmé and Anakin.

Kylo shook his head. He wasn’t even surprised. Luke had been collecting since before they were born.

Mara Jade got a fancy looking jacket with her fighter jet embroidered on the back. She touched it with her fingertips and just gave Padmé and Anakin a small smile. She never had been one to say much, but they knew it meant a lot to her.

Hux put his coffee cup in the circle of his legs so he couldn’t knock it over on accident and picked up the small box on top. He unwrapped it carefully and found a square leather box. He blinked at it before popping the lid and finding one of the watches his grandfather gave every one of the men in the family on their eighteenth birthday sitting inside.

He lifted the black metal out and looked at the crystal face as if he’d never seen anything like it before.

Kylo leaned over and flipped it for him so he would see what the engraving was on the back.

_ Armitage, Welcome to the Skywalker Family. –Ani & Padmé _

Kylo had to swallow a little harder than normal, and Hux was actively fighting tears as he got up, handing off his coffee cup to Kylo. He went over and hugged Anakin and Padmé hard. Something was said between them that he didn’t hear before Hux came back and slipped it on his wrist.

Kylo pulled him over and kissed is temple. He hadn’t known what Grandpa was going to write on the watch. They were all different. It apparently made Hux feel the right way.

After handing his coffee back, Kylo reached for one of the boxes on top. Hux’s handwriting was on the tag and he smiled slightly before he split the paper.

Inside, a leather journal was tucked carefully into tissue paper so it wouldn’t slide around. He pulled it out and noticed his name was tooled into the front. His chosen name, not his legal one. He touched over it and couldn’t help his smile.

“Thanks, babe,” he muttered.

“Open it,” Hux said.

His brows came down, and he flipped the cover open. On the first page, there was an entry for November fifth. Hux’s neat handwriting lined the whole page.

“I… I kept it from the day we got married so I could give it to you. I was— ”

He never got to finish as Kylo kissed him hard with a whole lot of emotion behind it. He heard Rey make a gagging noise, but Padmé hushed her.

He pulled away and their faces were both pink with embarrassment. Kylo cleared his throat and said, “Thank you.”

Hux swallowed. “You’re welcome.”

Everyone finished opening their presents without many more emotional things happening. After, Anakin and Padmé made their way to the kitchen with the promise of a heavy load of pancakes on the way.

Hux and Kylo made their way upstairs to their room with their pile of sweaters and Kylo’s journal. When they had tucked everything away, he turned Hux to him by the wrist the watch was on. “Just so you know, that watch… Every man in our family gets one on his eighteenth birthday.” He rubbed his thumb over the clasp. “So it’s not just a trinket. You’re in this family even if this doesn’t work for us.”

Hux looked down at where they were touching. “I’ve already decided to try and earn it, Kylo.” He glanced up. “I’m going to go get more coffee. Why don’t you read what I put in that book for you.”

Kylo nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t really get a chance.”

“I know. I’ll be back.”

Kylo was left to his own devices so he sat back against the headboard of the bed and pulled the book towards him. Tracing the letters with his middle finger, he opened it and started to read.

_ 5 _ _ th _ _ November, 2016 _

_ I’m not sure why I’ve decided to do this, but it feels like the right thing to do. I think of all people you deserve to know how I feel about this. _

_ It’s our wedding day, in case you don’t remember. _

_ If you don’t, you’re an utter twat. _

Kylo stopped reading long enough to laugh at that. Of course Hux would take the chance to insult him.

_ I’ve just ordered a taxi to take me to City Hall, so I don’t have long to get this down. Bit hard, really, when my hands are shaking like they are. _

_ I keep telling myself that I’m a bloody lunatic for agreeing to marry you, but really, what else would I do with my nights? Everyone and their mother know I don’t have a life. So I’ve chosen to spend at least the next two years with you. _

_ I hope it’s worth it. _

Kylo knew that feeling. He’d had that same myriad of emotions on his own cab ride to the get hitched.

_ 6 _ _ th _ _ November, 2016 _

_ You’re an utter cock and have completely ruined my reputation as being an asshole in the mornings. I can never forgive you for this. Phasma and Unamo have been giving me hell since you left. _

_ And I don’t know if you actually heard me or if I dreamed saying it, but thank you for telling me what happened. Rey is very lucky to have you as a cousin. I am sorry that your family never made you feel like you did the right thing. I believe that was wrong of them. _

_ You said you would be back soon, so I should probably put on pants, but that seems like such an arduous task after being woken up in such a brilliant fashion. _

_ 17 _ _ th _ _ November, 2016 _

_ You asked me last night to come away with you for your family Christmas. I can honestly say that I never imagined I would be spending Christmas with you, much less your whole family. _

_ I may end up regretting it, but I hope not. _

_ I’ve never been much for holidays. Not even your beloved Halloween. _

_ The thought honestly terrifies me. To say nothing bad of your family. I haven’t met them yet so I hold no opinion. _

_ However, every holiday I spent as a child were horrifically twisted. And please don’t look at me like that. You gave me that look last night, and I can’t take it again. I don’t tell you this for your pity. I tell you because I want you to know what a momentous thing you’ve gotten me to agree to. _

_ I know you’ll be reading this on Christmas and I hope I’ve left a positive impression on you and your family and vice versa. I hope this is the first of at least two more Christmases that I look forward to. _

_ Thank you in advance for whatever memories you give me. _

_ For whatever mad reason, I look forward to every day with you, Kylo. This began as an insane idea, but I hope we can make the best of it. Even if we don’t stay together, I hope we can at least leave it better friends than we came. _

_ This will be my last entry as I’m wrapping it tomorrow. The rest is up to you. _

Kylo swallowed hard and swiped a hand over his face to get rid of the tear tracks. It was a certain kind of validation to see your own thoughts staring back up at you in someone else’s handwriting. Especially when it had been almost at the same time.

He laid the book aside after tracing his name one more time and went to find Hux. He had a lot of ‘thank you’s to say.


	12. Saying Goodbye

Hux found himself lingering in the kitchen with Padmé and Anakin who were bickering good-naturedly about who spent too much on what for the other. Padmé saw him as she turned to get something out of the fridge and motioned for him to sit at the breakfast bar.

She looked elegant as always in her house robe and nightgown. “I think that gift you gave Ben was absolutely wonderful. It was extremely thoughtful.”

He hid behind his coffee cup to hide the blush across his nose. When he’d regained his composure, he said, “It seemed a nice thing to do. I thought it might be nice for him to have some place to put his thoughts that he can’t share with me.”

She glanced over at Anakin who was busy hiding in the fridge pretending to look for something. “I know all about men having something to say and nowhere to put it.” She rolled her eyes and started cracking eggs. “We love them, but they drive us crazy if we let them. That was probably the best thing you could have given him.”

The watch shifted on his wrist and he touched it. “Thank you, again, for the gift. Ben told me what it means to your family. I’m going to try to earn it.”

At that, Anakin pulled away from the fridge and came around to clap his hand on Hux’s shoulder. “That’s all we ask. No one in this family is perfect except for Padmé. The rest of us just try to live up to her example.”

Hux glanced at her and saw her hide a smile. “I take it that’s how you’re still married,” he muttered.

“You better believe it,” Anakin said before going back to act as a retrieval system for his wife.

Hux laughed and sipped his coffee, thinking that if he had a choice in the matter, he wanted to have a life like theirs when he was in his sixties. Even if it wasn’t perfect, they had each other and family. After he was done with his career and everything else, that was all he wanted to look forward to.

Arms slid around him from behind and pulled him back against a firm chest as Kylo pressed their faces together. “Thank you for the gift, Hux. I promise to use it, and I hope that we’ve lived up to expectation.”

Hux laid his hands over Kylo’s. “More than. This is the best Christmas in my memory.”

Kylo turned his face against Hux’s neck and stayed that way as he squeezed his waist.

Hux lifted a hand to run it through Kylo’s hair as he watched Padmé and Anakin make breakfast.

If he could compare this moment to anything, it would be when he was very young and his mother had taken him to a cathedral back in Ireland. The sun had poured through the windows in a kaleidoscope of colour that had filled his little heart with an overwhelming belief that everything was as it should be. In that moment, he had believed that God was watching out for him.

The feeling had since faded in the face of tragedy, but here in this kitchen surrounded by people that for all intents and purposes were his family, he found it again.

He turned his head and spoke into Kylo’s ear. “You gave me a family again, Kylo. There isn’t enough money in the world to repay you.”

Kylo’s arms tightened around him. “No one ever asked you to repay us. That’s why it’s family.”

Hux pressed his forehead to the hinge of Kylo’s jaw and just held him there and thought of that day with his mother. Maybe he had been right then. He didn’t know if he would ever find out for sure. 

 

Saying goodbye had been far more bitter than either of them had planned on. For Kylo it was the usual pain of leaving what he considered to be home, but Hux experienced something he hadn’t before. He felt like he was actively missing a limb as they left California to return to New York. 

His mood plummeted as they settled back into the apartment, and it just seemed far too quiet. The only consolation was they had picked Millie up from Phasma’s on the way home. 

She nuzzled at him when he pulled her out of her carrier and let him cuddle with her for a long time. 

Kylo started laundry before he curled up with Hux on the couch. 

“Is it weird that I miss them already?” Hux asked against Kylo’s collarbone where his face was pressed as he lay on his chest. Millie had wandered away to insure that her home hadn’t been tampered with during her time away. 

Kylo sighed, the swell of his lungs moving Hux slightly. “Not really. It’s hard for me to leave, too.” 

Hux stared out over the living room somewhere to the right of the television. The blank cream of the wall seemed so lackluster after the vivid colour of the last two weeks. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away toward the back of the couch. 

The steady thump of Kylo’s heart eased the tension and the ‘homesickness’ he was feeling. 

Kylo’s fingers slid into the back of his hair and slowly started massaging through it. A deep hum rolled out of him and his body went fully lax. He settled fully into the cradle of Kylo’s thighs where he was lying and just let himself be held. 

It didn’t hurt so much when he knew Kylo was there to make him so sleepy he could barely hold his eyes open. 


	13. By Happenstance

February saw them cohabitating in tandem as well as squabbling over blueprints again. 

“Kylo, there are too many circuits on that switch.” 

Kylo took it from him and squinted at it. “Fuck.” He used an eraser and corrected it carefully. 

Hux leaned over and pushed a strand of hair back behind Kylo’s ear where it had escaped from his ponytail. 

Kylo looked over and the furrow between his brows eased, a small smile touching his mouth. He glanced at his watch. “Want to get dinner? It’s getting kinda late.” 

Hux stretched and leaned back against the couch. “Yes, I suppose so. We’ve been working for an awfully long time. I could use a walk.” 

Kylo nodded and tidied their papers into a pile on the table while Hux went to find a coat. He rose and went to the closet to pull out a black sweater to wear with the jeans his grandparents had gotten him for Christmas. He brushed his hair out and went to find Hux by the door, waiting. 

He pushed his feet into his boots and took his coat from Hux who had taken it off the hook for him. 

Just because he could, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to the soft place below Hux’s ear. 

A gentle blush arched over Hux’s nose and cheeks, making the freckles there disappear. 

He smiled and led him downstairs where he flagged down a taxi, opening the door for Hux. 

Sliding in next to him, he gave the driver an address instead of the name of the place. He just wanted it to be a little bit of a surprise. 

Halfway there, Hux’s fingers found his in the middle of the seat and wound them together. 

He looked over and found him looking out the window. 

It was strange. Six months ago, he would have said this was an insane drug-induced dream. Now, it was commonplace. Just another Tuesday. 

He was thankful for it. 

 

Hux looked up at the front of the building they had gotten out in front of and stared. There was no way they were eating here. 

Kylo took his hand and tugged him back to reality and toward the building. 

“Kylo?”

Kylo stopped and looked back. “Hm?” 

“What are we doing here?” he asked, everything between his ears numb. 

Kylo smiled. “Eating dinner. Come on.” 

Hux blinked at him. “But this is...” 

Kylo chuckled and stepped back close. “It’s Valentine’s Day, Hux. I wanted to do something nice for you.”

It took a long moment to remember what the date was, but when he remembered, his face went red. “You want to spend Valentine’s with me?” 

Kylo rolled his eyes and smiled again. “I’ve been spending it with you. We’ve been together all day.” 

Snow swirled around them as the wind caught their coats. 

“Come on. It’s warm inside,” Kylo coaxed. 

Hux stepped forward and hugged him. 

Kylo wrapped him up in his arms and pressed his cold nose to the shell of Hux’s ear. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Hux,” he said quietly. 

The warm brush of his breath in his ear made Hux shiver, and he squeezed his waist harder before stepping back. “Thank you, Kylo.” 

Kylo smiled and took his hand again to pull him up the steps to the front door of the restaurant. He held it open, and they saw a small crush of people waiting in what little space was offered. 

“Maybe we should...” Hux began, but Kylo pulled him forward to talk to the host. 

“I have a reservation for two. Solo,” Kylo said and the host checked over the list before nodding. 

“Yes, Mister Solo. Follow me.” 

Hux stared at him and followed after as if his legs were on autopilot. 

They were led to a table up another set of stairs near a window and the host turned to them. “I’ll take your coats, sirs.” 

Kylo shrugged out of his and handed it over without a second’s hesitation. Seeing Hux just standing there, he rolled his eyes and came to alleviate him of it. He handed it over and thanked the host before pulling Hux’s chair out for him to sit. 

Dumbfounded, he let himself sink into it. 

Kylo sat across from him, looking for all the world relaxed. 

He looked around them and was struck by how beautiful the interior was. The chairs were reminiscent of Louis XVI, and the chandeliers dripped with real crystal. He looked to where the source of a slight chill was coming from to his left, and his lips parted in delighted shock. 

Central park stretched out beside them across the street. The rest of New York glittered on the other side. 

“Think the view is the best part, honestly.” 

He was startled from his intent gaze by Kylo’s voice. His eyes shifted to where Kylo was looking out the window. 

“I’ve been here once before. I thought you might like it.”

“Why?” he found himself asking. 

Kylo looked over and met his eyes. “Because you deserve fine things in life. I want to give them to you.” 

Hux stared in shock. “What?” he croaked. 

Kylo shrugged and sat forward, leaning his elbows on the table. His face was intent on Hux. “I come from money and power. I know that. I like what it’s given me this far in my life. I want to share that with you for the rest of my life. You deserve nothing less. I have a future waiting on me to get out of school. I want to share it with you.” 

One hand disappeared below the table and came back with a small leather box that he slid across the table. 

Hux’s heart was in his throat. 

“Good evening. My name is Destiny. I’ll be taking care of you this evening. May I start you off with some wine?” 

Kylo didn’t look away from him. “Champagne, if you don’t mind.” 

He could hear her smile even though he hadn’t even glanced at her. “Of course. I’ll be right back.” 

Swallowing his heart back to somewhere closer to where it belonged, he said, “What do you mean?” 

Kylo folded his hands together in front of him, thick fingers laced together. The band of his Skywalker watch flashed in the light. He seemed to collect his thoughts before he answered. “My life has revolved around trying to prove myself to my family. I’ve been fucking up all my life. I think you’re the best accident that ever happened to me. Since we got married, I’ve been falling in love with you.” 

The L word. 

He was talking about that big L word that everyone wanted to hear. 

Holy fuck. 

He swallowed hard. “You’re in love with me?” 

Where had all of the oxygen gone in this big, beautiful, open-aired room. 

Kylo nodded. “I have been for a while.” There were no shadows on his face, no deception. He believed it wholeheartedly. 

Hux felt dizzy. 

“I wasn’t before I asked you to marry me. I’ll be honest with you. You were the answer to a problem.” Kylo sighed. “To be honest, this is more than I could have ever planned for. My whole life was driven by trying to find my place in the world. I’ve been searching for somewhere I actually belong. Instead, I found you. Now, I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. I think my place is with you if you feel the same.” 

For the first time, he seemed unsure. “If not, we can forget this part ever happened, have a nice meal, and separate whenever you want to. I’d rather not have to, though.” 

Hux’s eyes closed for a long moment as he tried to process what was happening to him. He was being proposed to for the second time by this man. After they were already married. Because he loved him, not because of some need. 

He opened his lashes and pulled the box toward him. He carefully flipped the top open and found a band in it that looked nothing like the one already on his finger. A delicate lacework of knotting was pressed into the gold. He took it out and set the box back onto the table. 

His eyes turned up to Kylo’s, and with a great rush of euphoria, he said, “Aren’t you supposed to be on your knees or something?” 

Kylo didn’t move for a long second before he was at Hux’s side, kneeling on one knee and taking the ring from him. With all the care he would show glass, he looked Hux in the eye and slid the ring home to click quietly together with the other that was already on his finger. 

Hux’s vision blurred as their mouths met with the intent of a lifetime behind it for the first time, and he cradled Kylo’s jaw in his palms. 

Clapping sounded out around them, and they pulled apart slightly to look around. People were looking their way with smiles on their faces. 

Kylo laughed and pressed his face against Hux’s collar while the redhead’s face turned pink. 

Hux wrapped his arms around Kylo’s shoulders and buried his face in his curls. 

“I love you too, you know,” he said so only Kylo would hear him. 

Kylo squeezed him. “I would hope so.” 

“Well, it looks like I’ve got a lifetime to prove it.” 

He was pretty sure he had never seen anyone smile quite that hard.

 

Merry Me, indeed. 


End file.
